Recommended Dollar Reductions to DOD's FY 1984 Ammunition Procurement and Production Base Programs

Highlights

GAO reviewed Department of Defense (DOD) justification for its fiscal year 1984 appropriation requests for ammunition and for expanding the ammunition production base. GAO focused on: (1) ammunition items with the largest dollar amounts; (2) items being procured for the first time; (3) items having production or performance problems; and (4) Army projects for modernizing and expanding the ammunition production base.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's request by $222.8 million for 14 items under 11 budget lines as specified in appendix I of this report. In addition, the Committees should closely monitor the delivery of 155-mm Area Denial Artillery Munitions and Remote Antiarmor Mines System programs until budget markup.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's request by $222.8 million for 14 items under 11 budget lines as specified in appendix I of this report. In addition, the Committees should closely monitor the delivery of 155-mm Area Denial Artillery Munitions and Remote Antiarmor Mines System programs until budget markup.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Navy's ammunition procurement appropriation request by $68.2 million for 12 items under 7 budget lines as shown in appendix III of this report.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information..
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Navy's ammunition procurement appropriation request by $68.2 million for 12 items under 7 budget lines as shown in appendix III of this report.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Air Force ammunition appropriation request by $128 million for seven items shown in appendix IV of this report. Also, the Committees should closely assess the requested mix of fuzes and retarders to determine whether more fuzes or fewer retarders should be procured in the future to balance inventories.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Air Force ammunition appropriation request by $128 million for seven items shown in appendix IV of this report. Also, the Committees should closely assess the requested mix of fuzes and retarders to determine whether more fuzes or fewer retarders should be procured in the future to balance inventories.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should: (1) defer funding the $34.5 million to establish a facility to produce the chemical QL for the Bigeye bomb until a decision is made on the location; (2) defer funding the $30.6 million for equipment to load, assemble, and pack the Bigeye bomb until the locations for this facility and the QL production facility have been determined; (3) defer funding the $25.2 million to establish a facility to produce the chemical DC for use in the 155-mm projectiles until the location is decided; (4) deny the $8.9 million request for facilities to produce threaded base plates for the 8-inch M509A1 projectile because funds were provided for these facilities in fiscal 1983 and it should be reinstated in the fiscal year 1983 program; and (5) deny the $1.6 million request for the 60/81-mm increment container facility since it is no longer required.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations should: (1) defer funding the $34.5 million to establish a facility to produce the chemical QL for the Bigeye bomb until a decision is made on the location; (2) defer funding the $30.6 million for equipment to load, assemble, and pack the Bigeye bomb until the locations for this facility and the QL production facility have been determined; (3) defer funding the $25.2 million to establish a facility to produce the chemical DC for use in the 155-mm projectiles until the location is decided; (4) deny the $8.9 million request for facilities to produce threaded base plates for the 8-inch M509A1 projectile because funds were provided for these facilities in fiscal 1983 and it should be reinstated in the fiscal year 1983 program; and (5) deny the $1.6 million request for the 60/81-mm increment container facility since it is no longer required.	Closed – Implemented	Please call 202/512-6100 for information.

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National Defense

Air Force procurementAmmunitionArmy procurementChemical warfareDefense appropriationsDefense budgetsDefense contingency planningNaval procurementSpending legislationWeapons systems