Ballistic Missile Defense: Issues Concerning Acquisition of THAAD Prototype System
NSIAD-96-136
Published: Jul 09, 1996. Publicly Released: Jul 09, 1996.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) User Operational Evaluation System (UOES) program, focusing on whether planned testing would reasonably demonstrate the capabilities of UOES as an interim system before funds are committed to interceptor production.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Because the Department of Defense has clearly indicated its intention to commit over $200 million for UOES interceptors which may have inadequate operational effectiveness and because the current schedule will provide only 14 of the 40 interceptors that will be needed, Congress may wish to consider delaying the timetable for acquiring THAAD UOES set forth in the 1996 Defense Authorization Act. |
Closed – Implemented
|
DOD terminated the UOES interceptor requirements. GAO identified funds remaining in THAAD budget for UOES interceptors during a subsequent budget scrub review and Congress reduced the funding. |
| Congress may wish to restrict obligational authority for acquiring UOES until the Secretary of Defense certifies that the system has adequate operational effectiveness to merit its deployment in a national emergency. |
Closed – Implemented
|
DOD terminated the UOES interceptor requirements. GAO identified funds remaining in THAAD budget for UOES interceptors during a subsequent budget scrub review and Congress reduced the funding. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To avoid committing over $200 million for a system that may not have adequate operational effectiveness, the Secretary of Defense should restrict obligational authority for UOES interceptors until the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certifies that UOES has adequate effectiveness to merit deployment as an interim system. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD terminated the UOES interceptor requirements. GAO identified funds remaining in THAAD budget for UOES interceptors during a subsequent budget scrub review and Congress reduced the funding.
|
| Department of Defense | To avoid committing over $200 million for a system that may not have adequate operational effectiveness, the Secretary of Defense should seek legislative relief from the requirements of the 1996 National Defense Authorization Act in regards to acquiring THAAD UOES by FY 1998. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD terminated the UOES interceptor requirements. GAO identified funds remaining in THAAD budget for UOES interceptors during a subsequent budget scrub review and Congress reduced the funding.
|
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Topics
Army procurementBallistic missile defenseConcurrencyCost overrunsDefense capabilitiesMilitary airlift operationsNuclear weaponsOperational testingSystems evaluationTestingWeapons systems