Skip to main content

Combat Air Power: Assessment of Joint Close Support Requirements and Capabilities Is Needed

NSIAD-96-45 Published: Jun 28, 1996. Publicly Released: Jun 28, 1996.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

GAO reviewed the military services' plans to upgrade their close support weapons capabilities, focusing on the processes the Department of Defense (DOD) uses to assess mission needs, capabilities, and modernization proposals for the close support mission.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should conduct comprehensive cross-service assessments of overall joint close support mission needs, existing close support systems, and planned enhancements on a routine basis to determine whether and which proposed enhancements to close support systems should be funded, and in what quantities and priority. Such assessments might be made within the context of the joint warfighting capabilities assessment process although alternative mechanisms might be explored.
Closed – Implemented
DOD indicated that Part II of the Deep Attack Weapons Mix Study (DAWMS) would address the issues raised by the GAO recommendation. However, this study was never published. DOD told GAO that the Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored Close Support End to End Assessment would address the issues in the recommendation. In September 1998, GAO requested a copy of the August 1997 published study to determine if the issues were addressed. GAO received the copy in July 1999 and found that it did not address the issues raised in the recommendation. DOD does not intend to do another study.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Weapons systemsAir defense systemsAir warfareCombat readinessDefense capabilitiesFighter aircraftHelicoptersMilitary procurementTactical air forcesMilitary forces