Battlefield Automation: Premature Acquisition of the Army's Combat Service Support Control System
NSIAD-94-51
Published: Feb 04, 1994. Publicly Released: Feb 04, 1994.
Skip to Highlights
Highlights
GAO evaluated the Army's development and acquisition strategy for the Combat Service Support Control System (CSSCS) to determine whether it will ensure that the CSSCS program is ready to initiate acquisition of common hardware and software (CHS) computers and related equipment, focusing on the Army's rationale for initiating equipment acquisitions prior to conducting an operational test of the system.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | Given that the Army's unsettled CSSCS acquisition strategy could result in the premature procurement of additional CSSCS hardware, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Army to defer procurement of CSSCS computers until the system software that is to be fielded successfully: (1) completes an operational test that demonstrates its military effectiveness; and (2) demonstrates automated data exchange among and between the Army Tactical Command and Control System (ATCCS) control segments. |
Closed – Implemented
Based on GAO work and briefings, the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee deleted the CSSCS FY 1994 funding request of $12.825 million.
|
| Department of Defense | Given that the Army's unsettled CSSCS acquisition strategy could result in the premature procurement of additional CSSCS hardware, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Army to use existing ATCCS sources of CSSCS equipment to meet CSSCS operational testing equipment requirements. |
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD did not agree to redistribute computers to CSSCS for testing. Instead, the Army spent $4 million for computers it did not need. The $12.833 million accomplishment report does not include this $4 million.
|
Full Report
Office of Public Affairs
Topics
IT acquisitionsArmy procurementCommand and control systemsComputer equipment managementSoftware verification and validationCost analysisDefense capabilitiesOperational testingProcurement planningSystems compatibility