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Strategic Defense Initiative: Changing Design and Technological Uncertainties Create Significant Risk

IMTEC-92-18 Published: Feb 19, 1992. Publicly Released: Mar 16, 1992.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the: (1) impact of including or excluding space-based interceptor integration capabilities into the missile defense system architecture; (2) need for solidifying the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization's (SDIO) system architecture; and (3) significant technological challenges that SDIO must overcome.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense Because of the design and cost implications of including or excluding integration capabilities for space-based interceptors in the missile defense system, the Secretary of Defense should provide Congress with an analysis of the design and cost implications of: (1) including integration capabilities for space-based interceptors in the architecture but never deploying them; and (2) excluding such integration capabilities from the architecture but incorporating space-based interceptors later.
Closed – Not Implemented
Space-based interceptors are no longer in the GPALS architecture. Therefore, the recommendation no longer applies.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should develop an implementation plan for missile defenses. The details of this plan should be provided with the next Department of Defense (DOD) appropriation request for missile defenses and include, but not be limited to, a stable, well-defined missile defense system architecture.
Closed – Not Implemented
The entire program and system have been reprioritized and changed; the recommendation is no longer applicable.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should develop an implementation plan for missile defenses. The details of this plan should be provided with the next DOD appropriation request for missile defenses and include, but not limited to, a well-defined, integrated BM/C3 architecture sufficient in detail to provide the guidance and direction needed by developers to carry out their BM/C3 responsibilities.
Closed – Not Implemented
The entire program and system have been revamped by the new Secretary of Defense; the recommendations are no longer applicable.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should develop an implementation plan for missile defenses. The details of this plan should be provided with the next DOD appropriation request for missile defenses and include, but not be limited to, a comprehensive BM/C3 technology plan describing reasonable technology availability schedules, plans for insertion of improved or advanced technologies as they become available, and contingency plans for dealing with situations when technologies are not available, including the ramifications of such contingencies on system performance.
Closed – Not Implemented
The entire program and system have been changed by the new Secretary of Defense; the recommendation is no longer applicable.

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Topics

Air defense systemsBallistic missilesCommand control communications systemsSoftware verification and validationSystems compatibilitySystems designWarning systemsWeapons research and developmentWeapons systemsMilitary forces