This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-10-55 
entitled 'Defense Acquisitions: Challenges in Aligning Space System 
Components' which was released on October 30, 2009. 

This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability 
Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part 
of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every 
attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of 
the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text 
descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the 
end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided 
but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed 
version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic 
replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail 
your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this 
document to Webmaster@gao.gov. 

This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright 
protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed 
in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work 
may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the 
copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this 
material separately. 

Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on 
Appropriations, House of Representatives: 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
GAO: 

October 2009: 

Defense Acquisitions: 

Challenges in Aligning Space System Components: 

GAO-10-55: 

GAO Highlights: 

Highlights of GAO-10-55, a report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on 
Defense, Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives. 

Why GAO Did This Study: 

The Department of Defense (DOD) expects to spend more than $50 billion 
to develop and procure eight major space systems. Typically, the 
systems have two main components: satellites and ground control 
systems. Some also have a third component—user terminals—that can allow 
access from remote locations. If the delivery of these three components 
is not synchronized, there can be delays in providing full capabilities 
to the warfighter, and satellites on orbit can remain underutilized for 
years. Given preliminary indication of uncoordinated deployment, GAO 
was asked to examine (1) the extent to which satellite, ground control, 
and user terminal deployments are aligned; (2) the reasons deployments 
have not always been well coordinated; (3) actions being taken to 
enhance coordination; and (4) whether enhancements to ground systems 
could optimize the government’s investment. To accomplish this, GAO 
analyzed plans for all major DOD satellite acquisitions and interviewed 
key officials. 

What GAO Found: 

Satellites, ground control systems, and user terminals in most of DOD’s 
major space system acquisitions are not optimally aligned, leading to 
underutilized satellites and limited capability provided to the 
warfighter. Of the eight major space system acquisitions we studied, 
three systems anticipated that their satellites will be launched well 
before their associated ground control systems are fully capable of 
operating on-orbit capabilities. Furthermore, for five of the eight 
major space systems GAO reviewed, user terminals were to become 
operational after their associated satellites reach initial capability—
in some cases, years after. When the deployments of satellites, ground 
control systems, and user terminals are not well synchronized, problems 
arise that can affect both the warfighter and the space systems 
themselves. When capabilities are delayed because of lack of alignment 
between satellite and ground control systems or user terminals, the 
warfighter may develop short-term solutions, often at diminished 
capability and added cost. In addition, according to DOD testing 
officials, when the deployment of space system components is not 
properly timed, components may be ready for system testing at different 
times. This means that the space system may not be tested as a whole, 
connected system. 

DOD has inherent challenges in aligning its satellite and ground 
control systems. However, long-standing acquisition problems, a 
tendency to shift funds from ground control system development to 
satellite development when satellite development problems arise and the 
underestimation of software complexity on several major space systems 
have exacerbated the problem. The primary cause for user terminals not 
being well synchronized with their associated space systems is that 
user terminal development programs are typically managed by different 
military acquisition organizations than those managing the satellites 
and ground control systems. 

DOD does have several efforts in place to help achieve better 
synchronization. The Air Force has also made some attempts to improve 
acquisition management and increase oversight of contractors by 
separating the acquisition of satellites and their ground control 
systems. However, the outcomes of these efforts are still pending. 
Moreover, there is a lack of guidance needed to help plan for and 
coordinate the development of satellite and ground systems and a lack 
of transparency into costs for ground control systems and user 
terminals. 

DOD representatives in the satellite acquisition community agree that 
opportunities exist for DOD to transition to a more common type of 
architecture for satellite ground control systems in order to achieve 
additional efficiencies, capabilities, and a higher degree of 
information sharing among space systems, ultimately resulting in 
increased capability to the warfighter. All of the officials GAO spoke 
with agreed that ground control systems can be developed to provide 
data and information to other systems, and expect the same in return, 
to potentially enhance the flow and timeliness of information and 
better exploit satellite capabilities. 

What GAO Recommends: 

GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense take a variety of actions 
to help ensure that DOD space systems provide more capability to the 
warfighter through better alignment and increased commonality, and to 
provide increased insight into ground asset costs. DOD generally agreed 
with these recommendations. Previous GAO recommendations have focused 
on improving acquisition problems. 

View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-55] or key 
components. For more information, contact Cristina Chaplain at (202) 
512-4841 or chaplainc@gao.gov. 

[End of section] 

Contents: 

Letter: 

Background: 

Most Major Space Systems Are Not Aligned with Delivery of Ground 
Assets, User Assets, or Both: 

Acquisition and Other Problems Contribute to a Lack of Space System 
Component Alignment: 

Efforts Are Being Made to Achieve Better Alignment of Satellite, Ground 
Control System, and User Terminal Deliveries, but They Are Limited by 
Lack of Guidance and Cost Data: 

Opportunities Exist to Enhance the Capabilities of Satellite Ground 
Systems: 

Conclusions: 

Recommendations for Executive Action: 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation: 

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology: 

Appendix II: Summary of Synchronization Issues Affecting Testing: 

Appendix III: Synchronization Issues between Satellites and User 
Terminals: 

Appendix IV: Comments from the Department of Defense: 

Appendix V: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments: 

Tables: 

Table 1: Current and Planned DOD Space Systems by Mission and 
Associated Cost: 

Table 2: Alignment of Space System Acquisitions: 

Table 3: Space System Program Costs Showing Separate Costs for 
Satellites and Ground Control Systems: 

Figure: 

Figure 1: Notional Representation of Space System Components 
(Satellites, Ground Control Systems, and User Terminals) That Are Not 
Well Synchronized: 

Abbreviations: 

AEHF: Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite: 

AEP: Architecture Evolution Plan: 

CENTCOM: Central Command: 

CNPS: Consolidated Network Planning Software: 

DOD: Department of Defense: 

DOT&E: Director of Operational Test and Evaluation: 

FAB-T: Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals: 

GEO: geosynchronous earth orbit satellite: 

GPS: Global Positioning System: 

JROC: Joint Requirements Oversight Council: 

JTEO: Joint Terminal Engineering Office: 

JTRS: Joint Tactical Radio System: 

M-code: modernized military signal: 

MDA: Missile Defense Agency: 

MILSATCOM: Military Satellite Communications: 

MUOS: Mobile User Objective System: 

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration: 

NPOESS: National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite 
System: 

NRO: National Reconnaissance Office: 

NSA: National Security Agency: 

OSD: Office of Secretary of Defense: 

SAR: Selected Acquisition Reports: 

SBIRS: Space Based Infrared System High: 

SBSS: Space-Based Space Surveillance: 

SMC: United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center: 

SOCOM: Special Operations Command: 

STRATCOM: United States Strategic Command: 

STSS: Space Tracking and Surveillance System: 

TT&C: Tracking, telemetry, and commanding: 

WGS: Wideband Global SATCOM: 

WIN-T: Warfighter Information Network - Tactical: 

[End of section] 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

October 29, 2009: 

The Honorable John P. Murtha: 
Chairman: 
Subcommittee on Defense: 
Committee on Appropriations: 
House of Representatives: 

Dear Mr. Chairman: 

The Department of Defense (DOD) expects to spend over $50 billion to 
develop and procure eight major space systems. These systems are 
intended to provide military communications, global positioning and 
navigation information, weather monitoring data, and missile warning 
information. Typically, space system acquisitions consist of two main 
components: satellites and ground control systems. Satellites use 
sensors to collect data or provide communications capabilities, while 
ground control systems receive and often process and transmit data from 
the satellites. Space systems often include a third component, user 
terminals, which allow the combatant commands,[Footnote 1] also known 
as the warfighters, to use the space systems' capabilities in the 
field. While the costs associated with the ground control systems and 
user terminals can be much less than the costs of the satellites, space 
systems often require all three components--satellites, ground control 
systems, and user terminals--to work together to be fully utilized. 

The majority of major space acquisition programs in DOD's space 
portfolio, however, have experienced problems during the past two 
decades that have delayed deployment and driven up cost. Many programs 
are experiencing significant schedule delays--as much as 7 years-- 
resulting in potential capability gaps in areas such as positioning, 
navigation, and timing; missile warning; communications; and weather 
monitoring. We recently estimated that costs for major space 
acquisition programs have increased by about $11.0 billion from initial 
estimates of $11.4 billion for fiscal years 2008 through 2013. This 
investment risk is compounded because the development of satellite 
ground systems and user terminals sometimes lags considerably behind 
the development of satellites, even when the satellite development has 
faced considerable delay. This means that mission-capable satellites 
may be in orbit for months or years, but warfighters and others would 
be unable to use the full complement of the satellites' capabilities. 
The extent to which this problem is likely to occur is not well known. 
Satellite development problems typically represent a greater risk to 
the program and may therefore receive more attention. Ground system 
development problems may not be as visible as those facing satellite 
developments partially because the oversight and management of these 
development efforts is often intertwined. Moreover, while many DOD, 
congressional, and GAO studies have focused on the causes of satellite 
development delays and cost increases, few have focused on the delivery 
of ground control systems and user terminals, which are just as 
critical to optimizing the investment in space. 

For these reasons, you asked us to determine (1) the extent to which 
the deployment of satellite, ground control systems, and user terminals 
is aligned, or "synchronized," so that the delivery of these assets 
optimizes investments in space; (2) the reasons satellites, ground 
control systems, and user terminals are not always aligned; (3) actions 
being taken to enhance coordination in the development of these assets; 
and (4) whether opportunities exist to enhance ground systems to better 
optimize the government's investment in space, given recent trends in 
information technology and networking. 

To assess the coordination of satellite and ground system deployment, 
we analyzed current and future testing and fielding plans for 
corresponding satellite and ground assets (control systems and user 
terminals) of all major DOD space system acquisitions: the Advanced 
Extremely High Frequency Satellite (AEHF), NAVSTAR Global Positioning 
System (GPS), Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), National Polar- 
orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), Space 
Based Infrared System (SBIRS), Space-Based Space Surveillance (SBSS), 
Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS), and Wideband Global 
SATCOM[Footnote 2] (WGS). In making determinations about whether space 
system acquisition programs had synchronization issues, we compared the 
fielding dates of satellites, ground systems, and user terminals to 
determine whether there were gaps in the delivery of capabilities 
associated with these three components. We assessed user terminals to 
be not synchronized if a small percentage of terminals were scheduled 
to be delivered at the time of satellite and ground system delivery. 
Programs without gaps between fielding dates of satellites and ground 
system capabilities, and that had higher percentages of user terminals 
scheduled to be fielded, were determined to be synchronized. We also 
examined four of these programs in greater detail to better understand 
the causes of less-than-optimal synchronization. Further, we discussed 
ground control system and user terminal development with combatant 
commanders (warfighters) to help determine the effect(s) that 
synchronization issues have on the users of the space system 
capabilities. We also interviewed various space officials within DOD, 
including program management officials of the satellite programs we 
reviewed. To determine whether enhancements can be made to ground 
systems to increase utility of satellite capabilities, we interviewed 
high-level DOD representatives of various offices in the satellite 
acquisition community, officials in the intelligence community, and 
staff at ground control system facilities. 

We conducted this performance audit from November 2008 to September 
2009 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit 
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. For more 
information on our scope and methodology, see appendix I. 

Background: 

DOD's major space system acquisition programs are intended to perform a 
wide variety of functions, including communications, missile warning, 
navigation, tracking space objects, and even providing weather 
information. Communication satellites provide DOD the ability to 
communicate along narrowband, wideband, and secure and protected 
bandwidths. Narrowband communications use lower (slower) rates to 
process data and give the warfighter the ability to communicate better 
while on the move, and also work better in disadvantaged environments, 
such as in forests, where conventional frequencies might be less 
effective. Wideband communications use higher data rates and work 
better for stationary locations in addition to allowing more 
warfighters to use this type of bandwidth. Secure and protected 
bandwidths allow warfighters to communicate when other satellites are 
disabled because of enemy jamming measures and allow a wider use of 
terminals deployed on backpacks, submarines, airborne assets, and other 
means. Missile detection satellites allow DOD to identify launches and 
initially track ballistic missiles and provide early warnings to 
warfighters. Positioning and navigation satellites give DOD the ability 
to pinpoint a location, enabling soldiers to call for precise air 
support and lowering the risk of accidents. Satellites that track space 
objects and debris help keep satellites safe in space. Finally, weather 
satellites allow the warfighter to directly receive weather and climate 
information for more effective military operations. The satellites DOD 
is developing have finite useful lives that range from about 5 to15 
years. Some space systems under development, such as AEHF, are intended 
to replace older legacy systems with upgraded and more robust 
capabilities--such as increasing the volume of data transmitted per 
second. Table 1 shows the various missions of current and planned DOD 
satellite programs. 

Table 1: Current and Planned DOD Space Systems by Mission and 
Associated Cost (Fiscal year 2009 dollars in millions): 

Mission: Communications; 
Total mission costs (RDT&E and procurement): $19,012.4; 
Space systems: Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite; Mobile User 
Objective System; Wideband Global SATCOM. 

Mission: Missile warning and tracking; 
Total mission costs (RDT&E and procurement): $12,554.4; 
Space systems: Space Based Infrared System; Space Tracking and 
Surveillance System. 

Mission: Positioning, navigation, and timing; 
Total mission costs (RDT&E and procurement): $9,423.5; 
Space systems: NAVSTAR Global Positioning System[A]. 

Mission: Space object tracking; 
Total mission costs (RDT&E and procurement): $514.1; 
Space systems: Space-Based Space Surveillance. 

Mission: Terrestrial and near-space weather; 
Total mission costs (RDT&E and procurement): $11,068.9; 
Space systems: National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental 
Satellite System. 

Source: GAO presentation of DOD data. 

Legend: RDT&E = research, development, test, and evaluation. 

[A] Includes Block IIR/IIR-M, Block IIF, Operational Control Segment, 
and military user equipment. 

[End of table] 

Most space systems consist of satellites, ground control systems, and 
user terminals, though some space systems only require ground control 
systems to provide capability to users. Ground control systems are 
generally used to (1) download and process data from satellite sensors 
and disseminate this information to warfighters and other users and (2) 
maintain the health and status of the satellites, including steering 
the satellites and ensuring that they stay in assigned orbits. 

User terminals, typically procured by the military services and managed 
separately from associated satellites and ground control systems, can 
range from equipment hosted on backpacks to terminals mounted on 
Humvees, airborne assets, or ships. Terminals can be used to help the 
warfighter determine longitude, latitude, and altitude via GPS 
satellites, or securely communicate with others via AEHF satellites. 
Some user terminals are not solely dedicated to delivering capability 
from a specific satellite system. For example, the Joint Tactical Radio 
System (JTRS) is the primary user terminal associated with the MUOS 
program, but the system is also designed to be the next generation of 
tactical radios, allowing extensive ground-to-ground communication as 
well. 

Most Major Space Systems Are Not Aligned with Delivery of Ground 
Assets, User Assets, or Both: 

For six of DOD's eight major space system acquisitions, DOD has not 
been able to align delivery of space assets with ground assets, user 
assets, or both. Of the eight major space system acquisitions, five 
ground control system efforts are optimally aligned to deliver 
capability with their companion satellites, while three are not 
optimally aligned. For the five space systems requiring user terminals, 
none were aligned. In some cases, capability gaps resulting from delays 
in the fielding of ground control systems or user terminals are 4 or 
more years. When space system acquisitions are not aligned, satellite 
capability is available but underutilized, though in some cases, work- 
around efforts can help compensate for the loss or delay of capability. 
Moreover, when ground systems, user terminals, or both are not aligned 
with satellites, there are significant limitations in the extent to 
which the system as a whole can be independently tested and verified. 
Table 2 provides a summary of alignment between space systems and 
corresponding ground control systems or user terminals. 

Table 2: Alignment of Space System Acquisitions: 

Space system: AEHF; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: No[A]; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
Yes. 

Space system: GPS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
Yes. 

Space system: MUOS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
Yes. 

Space system: NPOESS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
Yes. 

Space system: SBIRS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
N/A[B]. 

Space system: SBSS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
N/A[B]. 

Space system: STSS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: No; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
N/A[B]. 

Space system: WGS; 
Gap exists between delivery of satellites and full ground control 
capabilities, user terminal capabilities, or both: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and full ground control system 
capabilities: Yes; 
Gap between delivery of satellites and fully fielded user terminals: 
Yes. 

Source: GAO analysis based on DOD data. 

[A] According to program officials, recent unplanned delays in the 
launch dates of AEHF satellites have allowed the program to become 
better synchronized with ground control system capabilities. 

[B] This indicates that the space system does not include user 
terminals; capability is exacted through the ground system. 

[End of table] 

In making determinations about whether space system acquisitions were 
aligned, we examined whether there were gaps between fielding dates of 
satellite capabilities compared to ground control system capabilities 
and whether lower percentages of user terminal types were planned to be 
fielded by the space system acquisitions' planned initial capability. 
We generally only considered aspects of a space acquisition unaligned 
if there was a gap of years, rather than months, between the fielding 
dates of significant capabilities. Regarding user terminals, we only 
considered these unaligned compared to satellite capabilities when user 
terminals did not meet DOD's measure of synchronization for military 
satellite communications space acquisitions. This measure, established 
by U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), a primary user of DOD space 
systems, asserts that 20 percent of any type of user terminal should be 
fielded by a space system acquisition's initial capability date and 85 
percent should be fielded by its full capability date.[Footnote 3] 

Notwithstanding the fact that alignment gaps are undesirable, several 
factors provide insight into the inherent challenges associated with 
managing alignment. First, alignment may be relatively easier to 
achieve in some programs than in others. For example, some space 
systems may require only a ground system or few user terminals and may 
even manage these acquisitions within one organization. By contrast, 
other programs may require literally tens of thousands of terminals 
that must be installed on a wide span of weapon systems, including 
ships, planes, vehicles, and even other space systems--which are owned 
and controlled by various military services. Second, an inherent 
difficulty in aligning satellite launches with ground and user terminal 
programs is the lead time needed to schedule satellite launches--about 
2 years--which makes it difficult to hold back satellite deployment if 
a ground or user terminal is experiencing a considerable delay. 
Nevertheless, there is a consensus that investments in space are not 
optimized when satellites are in orbit and user terminals or ground 
systems are many months or years away from being delivered. 

Third, it is difficult to measure the extent to which warfighters and 
other users are being affected by delayed capability or even the extent 
to which capability is delayed. As figure 1 depicts, satellites 
themselves only offer initial capabilities until enough satellites have 
been launched to provide the coverage needed to achieve full 
capability. This process alone can take years and will vary system to 
system as the number of satellites required to achieve full operational 
capability depends on mission requirements and coverage offered by 
satellites, among other factors. At the same time, ground control 
systems can be delivered in phases, the first of which may focus solely 
on controlling and maintaining the health of the satellite, with 
subsequent phases delivering software that can collect and process 
sensor data. User terminals can take years to install as they can span 
a broad spectrum of weapon systems and their installation is usually 
done along side other upgrades. 

Figure 1: Notional Representation of Space System Components 
(Satellites, Ground Control Systems, and User Terminals) That Are Not 
Well Synchronized: 

[Refer PDF for image: illustrated timeline] 

Satellite capability: 
Period when the first satellite is launched and ground control and user 
terminals first fielded: Year one; less capability; 
Initial capability: Late in year one; moderate capability; 
Full capability: Early year three; full capability. 

Ground control systems: 
Period when the first satellite is launched and ground control and user 
terminals first fielded: Year one; less capability; 
Initial capability: Mid-year two; moderate capability; 
Full capability: Late year 3; full capability. 

User terminals: 
Period when the first satellite is launched and ground control and user 
terminals first fielded: Mid-year one; less capability; 
Initial capability: Late year two; moderate capability; 
Full capability: Late year 4; full capability. 

Source: GAO analysis and Art Explosion (clip art). 

[End of figure] 

Alignment of Ground Control Systems and Satellites: 

Ground systems deployment for three of DOD's major space system 
acquisitions is lagging behind delivery of satellites. This means that 
satellites either already are in space or will be in space, but are or 
will be unable to deliver all of their planned capabilities. In one 
case, the development of the ground system was completed in time, but 
the system has not worked properly. In contrast, five major space 
system acquisitions have largely aligned their satellites and 
associated ground control systems acquisitions so that capabilities on 
satellites are fielded at approximately the same time as on the ground. 
In some of these instances, schedule slips in satellite development 
allowed more time for ground control system development. Had the 
satellites been delivered on their original schedules, the ground 
control systems might not have aligned with satellite delivery. The 
three instances where we identified gaps are described below. 

* GPS achieved full operational capability in 1995 and currently is a 
constellation of 31 active satellites of various generations used 
extensively by the military for multiple applications worldwide. The 
current GPS ground control system consists of the Operational Control 
Segment and an upgrade under way called the Architecture Evolution 
Plan. However, the plan and the capabilities it is being designed to 
provide have been delayed and are significantly over budget. As a 
result, some new capabilities are not now available to the warfighter 
because the ground control system features needed to command and 
operate the capabilities have not been completely delivered. For 
example, updated user equipment possessing a capability to prevent 
spoofing[Footnote 4] of navigation information started being delivered 
to the warfighter in 2004. However, the Architecture Evolution Plan, 
representing the current ground control system, is not capable of 
providing two important aspects of this capability and is not expected 
to do so until early fiscal year 2010. 

* The first SBIRS satellite[Footnote 5] will carry scanning and staring 
sensors designed to provide early missile warning capabilities. 
However, DOD will not be able to fully utilize the data collected from 
the staring sensor when this first satellite launches, currently 
planned for September 2010, because the ground control software that is 
to process the sensor's data is not planned to be fully functional 
until at least 2014. This means that complete, usable data from the 
staring sensor will not be available until about 4 years after the 
satellite is on orbit. 

* The first WGS satellite launched in October 2007, but its associated 
ground mission planning software--the Consolidated Network Planning 
Software--does not work properly. This planning software was designed 
to compute required bandwidth for all users simultaneously accessing 
WGS satellites. It would then disseminate that information to various 
satellite operation and support stations located globally so that all 
stations had a real-time view of the availability of WGS satellite 
capabilities. However, because the development of the mission planning 
software has had problems and is not well coordinated with WGS 
satellite capability, the dissemination of information does not occur 
as designed, and the information has to go through a time-consuming and 
labor-intensive work-around through a single ground station before it 
reaches the warfighter. 

Alignment of User Terminals: 

Five of the eight major space systems we reviewed had user terminals 
scheduled to be delivered and become operational after, and in some 
cases long after, their associated space systems achieved initial 
capability. The other three space systems did not require user 
terminals. It should be noted that in some cases--for example, AEHF, 
GPS, and NPOESS--there is more than one type of terminal that will 
serve a similar purpose. However, when we examined these programs we 
also identified gaps across the programs. For AEHF specifically, the 
most prominent gap existed in the terminal that will have the widest 
use--Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T). Three 
instances where we identified gaps are described below. Appendix III 
contains more details. 

* FAB-T. The Air Force's FAB-T program is designed to provide antijam 
and protected communications for nuclear and conventional forces as 
well as many airborne assets and ground command posts. As one of the 
primary user terminal programs associated with AEHF, FAB-T has recently 
experienced numerous problems and is not currently aligned with the 
AEHF satellite program. Specifically, contractor performance problems, 
which caused design teams to be restructured to improve performance and 
efficiency, caused a delay in the start of initial production from 
fiscal year 2007 to fiscal year 2010. In addition, design changes and 
contract cost growth have more than tripled development costs since the 
contract was first awarded. While AEHF will be able to provide 
capability through other user terminals, current estimates show that 
FAB-T will only have 2 percent of its terminals fielded when AEHF is 
scheduled to reach its initial operating capability in 2011. Further, 
estimates are that FAB-T will not have all of its terminals fielded 
until fiscal year 2019. 

* JTRS. JTRS is a family of interoperable, digital, modular, and 
software-defined radios that is planned to provide the capability to 
receive, transmit, and relay voice, data, and video. In the past, 
tactical military radios could not work well with each other. The JTRS 
radio is also being designed as the primary user terminal for the new 
MUOS satellite capability to help the warfighter achieve information 
superiority. Although MUOS will be able to provide capability through 
other, legacy user terminals, DOD estimates that less than 20 percent 
of JTRS terminals will be available to access the MUOS satellite when 
it achieves operational on-orbit capability in December 2011. In 2014, 
when MUOS is expected to reach full operational capability, 32 percent 
of JTRS terminals are expected to be available to the warfighter. DOD 
expects to field all the needed JTRS terminals by 2021--about 7 years 
after MUOS is expected to be fully operational. In the past, we have 
expressed concerns about the JTRS program because of problems with 
requirements, technology development, and program management.[Footnote 
6] A recent DOD independent program assessment concluded that the 
interface between MUOS and the JTRS radios and satellite contained 
unwarranted risk.[Footnote 7] 

* Military GPS user equipment. DOD also plans to field extensive--both 
in quantity and type--GPS user equipment and terminals to assist with 
positioning and navigation on a variety of air, ground, and sea 
platforms to utilize a modernized military signal (M-code), designed to 
be secure and jam resistant. This signal is planned to reach its 
initial operating capability on the GPS satellites and ground control 
system by 2014. While user terminals will start to receive and process 
the signal in 2014 as they are being fielded leading up to 2025, the 
user equipment and terminals are not expected to be fully fielded and 
operational until 2025. As a result, the military services' ability to 
achieve a joint navigation capability, an essential element of 
conducting future military operations, may not be fully realized until 
2025. In a 2007 memo from United States Strategic Command 
(STRATCOM)[Footnote 8] to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff, the combatant command expressed concern that new GPS 
capabilities will not be realized in a timely manner because of the 
lack of alignment between the major GPS components. 

Implications on Warfighters and the Testing Community: 

When space capabilities are not delivered in a coordinated manner or 
are partially delivered, the warfighter will either not have certain 
capabilities available when expected or may have to develop short-term 
solutions while waiting for the expected capability. Officials from one 
warfighting command (users of the capability) told us that because of 
the 2-year gap between when all MUOS satellites reach on-orbit 
capability and when the MUOS-capable user terminals (JTRS) first become 
available, the MUOS satellites will have spent a portion of their 
expected lifespan less than fully utilized. This issue concerns the 
combatant command because MUOS is replacing the aging Ultra High 
Frequency Follow-On space system, which currently serves more military 
customers than it was originally designed to handle. While waiting for 
the JTRS capability, the command will likely have to lease commercial 
satellite capability and user terminals to increase bandwidth capacity 
and improve the speed and effectiveness of information and 
communication transfers. 

The testing community is also significantly affected when satellite 
delivery is not aligned with ground control systems and user terminals, 
according to officials from the Office of the Director of Operational 
Test and Evaluation (DOT&E).[Footnote 9] If all three space system 
components--satellites, ground control systems, and user terminals-- 
are not working together, they essentially do not represent actual 
system capability, thus requiring nonrepresentative equipment to be 
used in testing and possibly yielding results that are not 
characteristic of the actual system. Overall, DOT&E officials 
identified alignment issues as the most significant obstacle to their 
obtaining credible and useful test results. However, these officials 
also noted that there have been recent efforts by some space system 
programs to better synchronize satellite capabilities with their ground 
systems. For example, MUOS will have production-representative 
satellite and ground control systems available for testing, which will 
facilitate optimal operational testing. 

DOT&E officials identified GPS as a specific example of where delays in 
delivery of ground assets have hampered testing. The GPS program office 
has not yet fully developed the ground control software designed to 
prevent spoofing of navigation information. The unavailability of this 
software has delayed both the testing and the use of the antispoofing 
capability by the warfighter. Had the needed ground system component 
been fielded as scheduled, this capability could have been tested 
shortly after user equipment started being delivered to the warfighter 
in 2004. As it stands now, by the time testing of these functionalities 
is conducted, the entire constellation of satellites will have been 
launched. DOT&E officials told us that recently the GPS program has 
undertaken efforts to align schedules to achieve a higher degree of 
overall synchronization, which should facilitate more effective 
testing. 

Another example involved JTRS user terminals, which are 2 years behind 
MUOS. While the MUOS satellite and ground control systems are ready for 
testing with production-representative equipment, representative user 
terminals are not. Because operational testing relies on production- 
representative components, DOT&E officials will not be able to test the 
overall system. For more examples of how less-than-optimal 
synchronization issues can affect testing, see appendix II. 

Acquisition and Other Problems Contribute to a Lack of Space System 
Component Alignment: 

Though there are inherent difficulties in aligning delivery of 
satellites, ground control systems, and user terminals, the lack of 
synchronization between segments of space acquisition programs is 
largely the result of the same core issues that hamper acquisition in 
general--requirements instability, funding instability, insufficient 
technology maturity, underestimation of complexity, and poor contractor 
oversight, among other issues. Previous GAO reports on DOD acquisitions 
have consistently linked such problems to significant cost increases 
and schedule delays. In addition, user terminals are not optimally 
aligned because of a lack of coordination and effective oversight over 
the many military organizations that either develop user terminals or 
have some hand in development. 

Acquisition Problems: 

The satellite, ground system, and user terminal programs we studied 
have had execution problems that have caused substantial delays in 
schedule that in turn have made it more difficult to align delivery of 
all three space system components. Most prominent are requirements 
changes, technical problems resulting from underestimation of 
complexity, and poor contractor oversight. The first satellite delivery 
of SBIRS, for instance, has been delayed at least 7 years in part 
because of poor oversight, technical complexities, and rework. The 
first satellite delivery for NPOESS is over 4 years late. AEHF has 
experienced delays of about 3 years for these reasons along with 
requirements changes that occurred earlier in the program and 
difficulties meeting information assurance requirements for its 
satellite. The GPS IIF system has also had about a 3-year delay because 
of technical and workmanship problems and requirements changes. Ground 
systems and user terminals have experienced similar problems. JTRS, for 
example, has experienced significant delays because of problems in 
maturing critical technologies, and as noted earlier, FAB-T delays have 
occurred because of contractor performance problems. Also, as noted 
earlier, the WGS ground system has experienced technical problems that 
have prevented it from working properly with WGS satellites now in 
orbit. 

We have previously reported that space acquisition problems are leading 
to potential gaps in the delivery of critical capabilities, and that 
with too many programs in its portfolio, DOD is forced to continually 
shift funds to and from programs. Additionally, DOD has preferred to 
make fewer but more complex satellites, which has stretched technology 
challenges beyond current capabilities in some cases, and vastly 
increased the complexities related to software. Also, there is no way 
to accurately estimate how long the design, development, and 
construction of a satellite system will take when critical technologies 
planned for that system are still in relatively early stages of 
discovery and invention. These factors and more can contribute to the 
inherent challenges in aligning delivery of space system components. 

Underestimating software complexity has also been a problem. The 
complexity of software on any system, including space systems, is often 
denoted by the amount of software, or number of lines of software code. 
Generally, the greater the number of lines of code, the more 
complicated the software system development, and ground control systems 
typically require significantly more software than the satellites. This 
means that software development for ground control systems is 
oftentimes the higher risk. In some cases, unanticipated software 
complexity can lead to lack of synchronization between the satellite 
and ground systems of space system acquisitions. For example, on the 
AEHF space system, the prime contractor has experienced quality control 
problems with the software for the mission planning element of the 
ground control system. In testing so far, the government has identified 
numerous significant software deficiencies and continues to find 
deficiencies as testing continues. Ground control system fielding will 
be delayed until the deficiencies are corrected. Also, our past work 
has shown that the MUOS ground control software represented one of the 
greatest risks to the program because of the size and complexity of the 
design. On SBIRS, the total estimated lines of code on the ground 
control system software grew from approximately 1.55 million in August 
2004 to approximately 1.88 million in December 2008. 

In at least one case, delays being experienced as a result of program 
execution development difficulties in satellite programs may actually 
offer a ground control or user terminal program some schedule relief. 
For example, when the AEHF space system was forced to delay the launch 
of its first two satellites because of issues that arose during vacuum 
testing, the unplanned delay allowed time for ground control system and 
user terminal capabilities to catch up to the revised satellite launch 
dates so that they are now planned to be fielded closer together. At 
the same time, however, these difficulties may ultimately require 
changes in requirements or designs that can create disruptive changes 
to ground control and user terminal programs. 

We have made numerous recommendations over the past decade aimed at 
reducing execution problems experienced in weapon system and space 
system programs, many of which inherently make it more difficult to 
align delivery of space system components and achieve better 
synchronization. Generally, we have recommended that DOD separate 
technology discovery from acquisition, follow an incremental path 
toward meeting user needs, match resources and requirements at program 
start, and use quantifiable data and demonstrable knowledge to make 
decisions to move to next phases. We have also identified practices 
related to cost estimating, program manager tenure, quality assurance, 
technology transition, and an array of other aspects of acquisition 
program management that space systems could benefit from. 

Funding Shifts: 

Space system acquisition programs sometimes shift funds from the 
development of ground control systems to their associated satellite 
development efforts to meet unexpected obstacles--an action that can 
create new problems. For example, when the GPS IIF satellite program 
encountered development problems, the program shifted funds set aside 
for the GPS ground control system to address the satellite problems, 
causing a delay in the delivery of some ground control capabilities. 
Similarly, SBIRS officials reallocated funding from the ground control 
system to address satellite software issues, which may have contributed 
to the system's initial inability to utilize the staring sensor data 
from the first geosynchronous earth orbit satellite. Program officials 
told us that they like the flexibility of being able to move funds from 
ground control systems to the satellites if priorities warrant. 
However, as we indicated above, this can put the development of ground 
control systems at a disadvantage compared to development of the 
satellites for space systems, for example, GPS and SBIRS. 

Lack of Coordinated Planning among Organizations Involved in 
Development: 

DOD program office officials told us the primary reason that user 
terminals are not optimally synchronized is a lack of coordination and 
effective oversight over the many military organizations that either 
develop user terminals or have some hand in the development. For some 
systems, user terminal development could involve several different 
organizations and a complex sequencing of events. For example, in the 
case of GPS, the Air Force must first develop prototype electronic 
modules and production-ready receiver hardware for selected platforms 
within the space, air, ground, and maritime environments--a process 
that can take several years. After this is done, each of the military 
services will still need to procure the new user equipment and install 
it on a range of other platforms. Given the breadth of equipment that 
the terminals must be installed on and the need to coordinate 
installations with existing maintenance schedules, the process of 
realizing capability could take 10 or more years. Thus, user terminal 
programs need to have timely funding and be well-coordinated. 

In the case of GPS, this advance planning did not take place, and it is 
likely that the installation of user equipment that can take advantage 
of the satellites' modernized military signal (M-code), designed to be 
secure and jam resistant, will not be completed until 2025. We 
reported[Footnote 10] earlier this year that there was a lack of 
coordination with GPS and that no single authority was responsible for 
synchronizing GPS satellites and ground systems and user terminals. 
Both the Defense Science Board[Footnote 11] and the U.S. Space 
Commission identified the same problem in earlier reports. A January 
2001 study by DOD's U.S. Space Commission[Footnote 12] noted that when 
satellites and ground control systems are funded in one budget and user 
terminals in another, the result can be a lack of synchronization in 
the acquisition of satellites and their associated user terminals 
because of this decentralized arrangement. 

In another example, the responsibility for developing and acquiring the 
MUOS satellite and associated ground control systems falls under the 
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, but responsibility for 
developing and acquiring JTRS user equipment and terminals associated 
with MUOS falls under a joint program office with multiple services 
involved. Under this structure, there is no single office or group 
responsible for the coordination of these two interdependent program 
offices to help achieve better synchronization. However, MUOS program 
officials told us that in 2004 they began to recognize that their 
program's success was tied to the JTRS program and there was a need to 
coordinate and address synchronization and other issues. As a result, a 
formal group was established to address systems engineering 
coordination issues under both programs. While this group does not 
constitute a single authority responsible for synchronizing MUOS and 
JTRS, program officials stated that it has helped resolve coordination 
issues. 

Officials from a third program, AEHF, agreed that space system 
synchronization challenges often result from the way the military 
services are organized to manage the various space system components. 
Officials told us that satellites and associated user terminals are 
often not well synchronized because they are frequently managed by 
different military services with different development contracts and 
funding accounts. They said that they would like for all of the 
terminals to be fielded at the same time, but because of the 
independent nature of these programs and their complexity, they are 
unable to synchronize them to a greater extent. These officials 
acknowledged that it would help if there was one person or organization 
that could oversee all the components of a satellite system, both 
within a service and among services, to help ensure that satellites and 
their user terminals are better synchronized. We recently reported 
[Footnote 13] that DOD's acquisition process is not well designed to 
manage across programs in part because the military services have 
traditionally focused on developing and acquiring systems to meet their 
own specific missions and have placed relatively less emphasis on 
developing and acquiring the types of interoperable systems needed to 
meet the demands of joint operations. 

Finally, another factor contributing to user terminal delays is the 
difficulties some programs have in anticipating security requirements 
and gaining approval from the National Security Agency (NSA), which is 
responsible for certifying a satellite system's information security. 
In the past, we have reported on delays in obtaining NSA's 
certification associated with the AEHF and MUOS space systems. In 
addition, the risk of this potential delay is not always fully known at 
program inception. For example, in the AEHF program, the changing 
nature of security requirements placed stress on an already tight 
schedule by adding a high level of complexity to the program's user 
terminal efforts. In the case of MUOS, which is associated with the 
JTRS user terminal, NSA determined that the user terminal's existing 
security architecture was not adequate, and as a result, NSA declined 
to certify the system until changes were made to its architecture. 

Efforts Are Being Made to Achieve Better Alignment of Satellite, Ground 
Control System, and User Terminal Deliveries, but They Are Limited by 
Lack of Guidance and Cost Data: 

There are efforts in place focused specifically at better aligning 
delivery of satellite, ground system, and user terminals as well as 
reducing the kinds of acquisition problems that contribute to delays 
that make alignment difficult. However, it remains to be seen how 
effective these will be. Moreover, improvements are likely to be 
hampered by a lack of guidance to help plan for and coordinate the 
development of satellite and ground systems and a lack of transparency 
into the costs of ground control systems and user terminals. 

In 2005, DOD's Joint Terminal Engineering Office (JTEO) began 
monitoring the alignment of military satellite communication space 
systems, including satellites, ground control systems, and user 
terminals.[Footnote 14] JTEO analyzes program plans, schedules, and 
budgets; identifies interdependent systems that are not aligned; and 
analyzes the impact of systems that are not aligned and shares the 
results of its analysis with a wide variety of organizations involved 
with military communications satellites. JTEO uses guidance established 
by STRATCOM to define basic and optimal synchronization to assess the 
level of synchronization of military satellite communications space 
systems. However, officials from both JTEO and STRATCOM acknowledged 
that these definitions are somewhat arbitrary and do not really measure 
what is most important--capability provided to the warfighter via a 
certain level of synchronization related to a space system's 
components. Further, JTEO only tracks synchronization of military 
satellite communications space systems, not the space systems involved 
with other space missions. 

Also, the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology and 
Logistics, has recently been utilizing an advisory body called the 
Narrowband SATCOM Systems Engineering Group to focus specifically on 
the alignment of MUOS and JTRS given the extent of schedule gaps and 
the importance of JTRS to MUOS. The advisory body seeks to anticipate 
and identify the technical challenges between MUOS and JTRS and any 
other interdependent systems. 

In addition, the Air Force is attempting to mitigate some of the 
contributing factors that create synchronization issues by separating 
the acquisition of satellites and their ground control systems, 
intending to ensure that ground systems receive increased oversight. 
Specifically, the GPS program recently split the acquisition and 
funding of the GPS IIIA satellites from its ground control system. 
While both acquisitions remain under the same GPS program management, 
GPS officials told us that they expect the funding separation to yield 
greater government oversight of the contractor and increased control 
over programmatic decisions. For example, if a satellite encounters a 
problem during development, a contractor may be tempted to make changes 
to the satellite's operating software. Such changes, which could add 
time and rework to the ground control system's software development 
effort, might not receive attention from the government. By acquiring 
the satellites and ground system separately, GPS program officials 
believe that acquisition changes will have to be approved through 
program management, and that more generally, the ground programs would 
receive more focused oversight than they receive now. Officials also 
indicated that when programs use the same contractor to develop both 
the satellite and ground control systems, the government can be 
beholden to the single contractor to deliver some capability, even if 
contractor performance falls below expectations. 

Other actions have been taken to improve program execution within space 
and other weapon programs that have the potential to improve DOD's 
ability to align delivery of satellites with ground and user terminals. 
For example, the Air Force is planning to conduct a review in November 
2009 with the Office of the Secretary of Defense to enable better 
management of GPS as an enterprise instead of as many individual 
programs. Further, within the space community, the Air Force has been 
emphasizing the use of an incremental development approach where it 
will gradually meet the needs of its users, and it is requiring space 
programs to make independent technology readiness assessments at 
particular points in the acquisition process. For some newer space 
programs, such as GPS III, the Air Force has taken actions to ensure 
that requirements remain stable and to hold contractors more 
accountable for their performance. The Office of Networks Information 
and Integration within the Office of the Secretary of Defense has also 
developed tools to enable better coordination among interdependent 
programs, such as the Net-Centric[Footnote 15] Integrated Master 
Schedule, an online software program designed to provide insight to 
program schedules, key events, and most importantly cross-program 
dependencies, to more effectively synchronize aspects of the net- 
centric portfolio, including space system acquisitions. Moreover, 
recently passed acquisition reform legislation also sets requirements 
for space and other programs to increase emphasis on systems 
engineering and developmental testing, preliminary design reviews, and 
technology readiness assessments.[Footnote 16] We recently testified 
that actions that the Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense have been taking to address problems related to technology 
development are good steps. However, there are still more significant 
changes to processes, policies, and support needed to ensure that 
reforms can take hold, including addressing the diffused leadership for 
space programs, which hampers the ability of DOD to synchronize 
delivery of space, ground, and user assets for space programs. 

Limited Insight into Costs of Ground Systems and User Terminals Can 
Hamper Oversight: 

DOD's efforts to improve coordination of satellite, ground control 
system, and user terminal efforts may be hampered by a lack of 
transparency in the costs associated with ground control systems and 
user terminals. To identify the costs associated with the poor 
synchronization of space system components, we attempted to determine 
development and procurement costs associated with ground control 
systems. However, several of DOD's space system acquisitions do not 
break out these costs through their standard reporting measures, 
[Footnote 17] reporting instead combined satellite and ground system 
costs. We asked the program offices to provide separate costs for their 
ground control systems, and while most programs were able to provide 
some information, officials with two programs--AEHF and GPS--told us 
that they did not officially track cost information in this manner. The 
next-generation GPS ground control system is being acquired under a 
separate contract than the satellites which could allow the program to 
separate cost information. Without better cost information on ground 
control systems, congressional decision makers and appropriators have 
limited insight into costs, and the possibility of cost overruns, for 
ground control systems of major space systems. 

Table 3 shows the six space systems that were able to provide cost 
information that distinguished the development and procurement costs of 
their satellites from the development and procurement costs of their 
ground control systems. It also shows the two space systems, AEHF and 
GPS, that were not able to officially break out and distinguish 
development and procurement costs between satellites and their ground 
control systems. 

Table 3: Space System Program Costs Showing Separate Costs for 
Satellites and Ground Control Systems (Fiscal year 2009 dollars in 
millions): 

Program: AEHF[A,B]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: Not available[A]; 
Ground: Not available[A]; 
Procurement: Total: $7,267.3; 
Satellite: Not available[A]; 
Ground: Not available[A]; 
Total: $3,150.1; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $10,417.4. 

Program: NAVSTAR GPS[A,B]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: Not available[A]; 
Ground: Not available[A]; 
Procurement: Total: $4,485.9; 
Satellite: Not available[A]; 
Ground: Not available[A]; 
Total: $4,937.6; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $9,423.5. 

Program: MUOS[B]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $2,065.8; 
Ground: $1,741.9; 
Procurement: Total: $3,807.7; 
Satellite: $2,536.3; 
Ground: $135.1; 
Total: $2,671.4; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $6,479.1. 

Program: NPOESS[B]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $6,661.3; 
Ground: $1,464.2; 
Procurement: Total: $8,125.5; 
Satellite: $2,943.4; 
Ground: 0.0; 
Total: $2,943.4; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $11,068.9. 

Program: SBIRS[C]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: 5,615.1; 
Ground: $2,109.6; 
Procurement: Total: $7,724.7; 
Satellite: $2,522.7; 
Ground: $133.0; 
Total: $2,655.7; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $10,380.4. 

Program: SBSS[C]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $469.1; 
Ground: $45.0; 
Procurement: Total: $514.1; 
Satellite: N/A[E]; 
Ground: N/A[E]; 
Total: N/A[E]; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $514.1. 

Program: STSS[D]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $1,886.1; 
Ground: $287.9; 
Procurement: Total: $2,174.0; 
Satellite: N/A[D]; 
Ground: N/A[D]; 
Total: N/A[D]; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $2,174.0. 

Program: WGS[C]; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $377.9; 
Ground: N/A; 
Procurement: Total: $377.9; 
Satellite: $1,706.7; 
Ground: $31.3; 
Total: $1,738.0; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $2,115.9. 

Program: Total; 
RDT&E: Satellite: $17,075.3; 
Ground: $5,648.6; 
Procurement: Total: $34,477.1; 
Satellite: $9,709.1; 
Ground: $299.4; 
Total: $18,096.2; 
Total RDT&E and procurement: $52,573.3. 

Source: GAO presentation of DOD and Missile Defense Agency data. 

Legend: 
RDT&E = research, development, test, and evaluation; 
N/A = not applicable. 

[A] The program office was not able to officially provide separate 
satellite and ground control system costs. 

[B] The program office provided cost data for the RDT&E and procurement 
phases. 

[C] The program office provided cost data through fiscal year 2013 or 
2014. 

[D] This program is a demonstration effort and DOD does not currently 
have plans for a procurement phase. 

[E] The original SBSS selected acquisition report did not include 
procurement funding. 

[End of table] 

Although six programs were able to provide some information that 
distinguished costs between satellites and ground control systems, the 
programs did not report this information separately in their Selected 
Acquisition Reports (SAR).[Footnote 18] DOD officials at one program 
office told us that they do not break out these costs because they have 
a combined contract for development of the satellites and ground 
control systems. Officials at another program explained that when a 
program uses one contractor for satellite and ground control system 
development, it has flexibility to move funds between satellite and 
ground control system development, as necessary. As a result, it can be 
difficult to identify, track, and report separate cost information for 
satellites and ground control systems. However, the Air Force 
initiative to separate the acquisition of satellites and their ground 
control systems might make it easier to track and report separate cost 
information. In addition, the overall acquisition costs associated with 
user terminal programs are also difficult to determine because 
different DOD organizations often manage these acquisitions. Even 
though user terminals are what allow for the day-to-day use of a 
typical space system's capabilities by military services in the field, 
the costs of user terminal programs are not usually reported along 
with, or as part of, the total space system. This can result in a lack 
of transparency regarding the total costs of all components of a space 
system. 

Opportunities Exist to Enhance the Capabilities of Satellite Ground 
Systems: 

DOD has typically developed and operated its ground systems in a 
stovepiped manner. Specifically, each ground system's development is 
dedicated to a particular satellite system for a specific mission area, 
such as communications, missile warning, navigation, space object 
tracking, or weather monitoring. As a result, ground systems generally 
only receive and process data from the satellites for which they were 
developed. They generally do not control and operate more than one type 
of satellite and they generally do not share their data with other 
ground systems. More important, there are few ground systems that are 
capable of fusing data from multiple space systems to enhance military 
and intelligence planning and operations. 

In recent years, however, information technology has migrated toward 
common architectures and systems that enabled systems that were 
traditionally stovepiped to share or even fuse data to maximize their 
value. There is a consensus among officials we spoke with--including 
individuals from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, 
Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; the Joint Requirements Oversight 
Council; National Reconnaissance Office; Office of the Secretary of the 
Air Force; Air Force Space Command; and Lincoln Laboratory (a federally 
funded research and development center)--that investments in ground 
systems can be optimized in two ways. First, common ground systems can 
be built to operate and control multiple satellite systems rather than 
just one. Second, ground systems or other types of information 
technology can be used to combine or fuse data from multiple space 
assets to optimize planning and execution of military operations. 
Several of the officials we spoke with in fact believe that including 
air-, land-, and sea-based sensor data in addition to satellite data in 
such systems or architectures could ultimately reduce the current level 
of capability needed in space. We have also reported in the past that 
designing systems with common subsystems and components and using an 
open systems[Footnote 19] design approach can reduce production and 
life cycle costs.[Footnote 20] 

Several of these officials, however, also identified obstacles to such 
commonality. These obstacles include getting agreement on a common 
design, meaning whether it will be based primarily on the warfighter's 
needs or cost savings, and overcoming the resistance of different DOD 
organizations to sharing their data and trusting that the data will not 
be misused. 

Moreover, progress on building common ground systems or technology that 
can fuse data from a variety of sensors in the military has been 
limited. One satellite control facility operated by the Navy, known as 
Blossom Point,[Footnote 21] does operate a ground system that can 
control a variety of national security satellites. The facility uses a 
common approach (architecture) to command and control the satellites as 
well as receive and analyze data and information transmitted from the 
satellites. The common approach allows the facility to reuse a large 
percentage of the existing software across multiple satellites. 
Typically, 80 percent of the software required on the ground to operate 
the satellites can be reused and only about 20 percent is unique and 
has to be created for that new system. However, the facility primarily 
operates nonmilitary space systems and according to Blossom Point 
officials, no major Navy or Air Force space system uses the facility 
even though the capacity and capability exists. The Air Force has no 
similar facility, opting instead to primarily develop unique ground 
control systems for each satellite system.[Footnote 22] In addition, 
there are efforts currently being planned at the Air Force's Space and 
Missile Systems Center that will fuse early missile warning information 
from SBIRS and information from the next generation of infrared missile 
detection satellites. These efforts are aimed at eliminating the need 
for the Air Force to develop separate dedicated ground control systems. 
However, these efforts are in the planning stages. 

In 2004, DOD established policy[Footnote 23] directing that data 
collected by various means, including space systems, be made visible 
and accessible to any potential user in DOD by making them available in 
shared spaces, but again, according to the individuals we interviewed, 
this has not made progress because of resistance to sharing data as 
well as system design, development, and operation. Confirming these 
views, in 2009, DOD's Defense Science Board[Footnote 24] reported that 
while DOD has initiated some efforts to achieve interoperability, it is 
a long way from achieving the desired level of interoperability in 
several areas, including satellite communication.[Footnote 25] 

Conclusions: 

DOD's space systems continue to offer opportunities to enhance and 
transform how the military conducts its operations. But such 
opportunities are being limited or delayed because of problems in 
synchronizing the delivery of space, ground, and user assets. While 
synchronization is inherently difficult for space systems and complete 
synchronization is practically unattainable, there are relatively 
straightforward actions that can be taken to allow for better 
synchronization. These include better coordination among the many 
players involved with development and more transparency into and 
awareness of program complexity, costs, consequences of delays, and 
criteria to help planning and oversight. DOD has appropriately started 
taking some of these actions, but expanding this effort could increase 
cost transparency. Moreover, in response to previous recommendations, 
DOD has taken actions to address long-standing acquisition problems and 
ensure that development of the three space system components is 
knowledge based. Without doing so, synchronization will not be achieved 
even if coordination and guidance are strengthened. Because acquisition 
improvements are still relatively recent, the success of these efforts 
will not be known for some time. Lastly, there are opportunities to 
increase the quality and usefulness of data collected from satellites 
that DOD has been slow to take advantage of. In this case, technical 
obstacles seem to be easier to overcome than cultural obstacles. DOD 
has already issued policies to adopt approaches that would facilitate 
data sharing and senior leaders have been encouraging such approaches, 
but they have not been implemented. Resistance and lack of coordination 
among the individual organizations that develop and use space systems 
are seen by some as key factors. As such, it may be in DOD's best 
interest to support small-scale demonstrations of new architectures and 
technologies, such as DOD planned efforts to fuse missile warning 
information, and find ways to incentivize programs to participate in 
these demonstrations. 

Recommendations for Executive Action: 

To help DOD space systems provide more capability to the warfighter 
through better synchronization and increased commonality, and to 
provide increased insight into the costs associated with ground assets, 
we are making five recommendations to the Secretary of Defense. 

* Define a basic level of expected synchronization during the 
development of each space system acquisition based on delivering a 
capability to the warfighter. 

* Assess the value of designating an office with responsibility for 
overseeing the relative progress of satellite, ground, and user 
terminal programs with the aim of ensuring that problems that could 
affect the ability to synchronize a space system are known and 
addressed. 

* Formulate guidance to better align space system components so that 
all components are available to facilitate optimal operational testing. 

* Develop DOD-wide guidance, specific to space systems, to allow for 
the integration and consolidation, to the extent feasible, of DOD's 
current and future satellite ground control systems via common ground 
architecture or by other similar means. 

* Provide annual documentation to Congress (in SARs or in other 
documents) that specifically delineates the cost, and cost performance, 
associated with (1) the satellites, (2) the ground control systems, and 
(3) associated user terminals, and as a result, provides the total cost 
of all planned components of each space system acquisition. 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation: 

DOD provided us with written comments on a draft of this report. DOD 
concurred with four of our recommendations and partially concurred with 
a fifth recommendation and identified actions it has taken or plans to 
take to address them. The comments are reprinted in appendix IV. 

In partially concurring with our recommendation to formulate guidance 
to align space system components to better facilitate optimal 
operational testing, the department noted that it had taken some steps 
to better align space system oversight and noted that it did not want 
to significantly delay providing the warfighter with needed space 
system capabilities to optimize operational testing. We agree that any 
efforts to optimize space system operational testing should not result 
in significant delays in providing the warfighter with needed 
capabilities. However, the purpose of operational testing is to ensure 
a system's effectiveness and suitability for use by the warfighter. Not 
being able to conduct operational testing with production- 
representative equipment can yield results that are not characteristic 
of the actual system. This can also negatively affect the warfighter. 
Our recommendation seeks to achieve a more pragmatic balance. It seems 
reasonable and even beneficial to the warfighter to have guidance that 
endorses operational testing that includes all of a space system's 
components, or at least as many components as can be feasibly tested 
before delivery to the warfighter. 

In concurring with our other recommendations, DOD identified actions it 
has already taken that it believes will address our concerns. However, 
we considered these actions in formulating our recommendations and 
found that they did not go far enough to address the problems we 
identified. For example, DOD cited a newly created Space and 
Intelligence Office within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics as a means of enhancing 
oversight for space programs. However, the office does not have 
oversight authority over all user terminals. DOD also stated that total 
cost information on each space system is provided to the Congress in 
SARs. However, these reports do not currently capture satellite, ground 
system, and related user terminal costs in a single document, which we 
found was needed to provide more accessible and transparent data on 
total costs for space programs. To improve synchronization and 
commonality of space systems, we believe that DOD needs to go beyond 
what it is already doing. This is the intent of our recommendations. 

We are sending copies of this report to the appropriate congressional 
committees, the Secretary of Defense, and other interested parties. The 
report also is available at no charge on the GAO Web site at 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. 

If you have any questions about this report, please contact me at (202) 
512-4841 or chaplainc@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of 
Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last 
page of this report. Key contributors to this report are provided in 
appendix V. 

Sincerely yours, 

Signed by: 

Cristina T. Chaplain: 
Director Acquisition and Sourcing Management: 

[End of section] 

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology: 

To determine the extent to which the Department of Defense (DOD) 
manages the synchronization of capabilities between satellite and 
ground components of satellite programs, we assessed eight DOD 
satellite programs: the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite 
(AEHF), NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS), Mobile User Objective 
System (MUOS), National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental 
Satellite System (NPOESS), Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), Space- 
Based Space Surveillance (SBSS), Space Tracking and Surveillance System 
(STSS), and Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS). We developed and sent data 
requests to the respective program offices, and examined planned 
deployment dates for satellites, ground systems, and user terminals to 
determine if capabilities will be synchronized. In making 
determinations about whether space system acquisitions had 
synchronization issues, we examined whether there were gaps between 
fielding dates of satellite capabilities compared to ground system 
capabilities and whether lower percentages of user terminal types were 
planned to be fielded by the space system acquisitions' planned initial 
capability. Programs without gaps between fielding dates of satellite 
capabilities and ground system capabilities and that had plans for 
higher percentages of user terminal types to be fielded by their 
associated space system's initial capability, were determined to be 
synchronized. While there is no DOD standard by which to measure lack 
of synchronization between satellite capabilities and ground system 
capabilities, we generally only considered aspects of a space 
acquisition unsynchronized if there was a gap of years, rather than 
months, between the fielding dates of significant capabilities. 
Regarding user terminals, we only considered these unsynchronized 
compared to satellite capabilities when user terminals did not meet 
DOD's measure of synchronization for military satellite communications 
space acquisitions.[Footnote 26] This DOD measure of basic 
synchronization, established by U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) says 
that 20 percent of any type of user terminal should be fielded by a 
space system acquisition's initial capability date and 85 percent 
should be fielded by its full capability date.[Footnote 27] Although 
DOD officials acknowledged that these definitions are somewhat 
arbitrary and do not really measure what is most important--capability 
provided to the warfighter via a certain level of synchronization--this 
is the only DOD measure of space system synchronization. 

We analyzed four programs (AEHF, GPS, MUOS, and SBIRS) in greater 
detail to better understand the causes of less-than-optimal 
synchronization. We also reviewed various reports and analyses that 
identified factors contributing to a lack of synchronization. To 
determine the effect(s) of space systems that are not synchronized, we 
interviewed combatant commanders (in STRATCOM, Omaha, Nebraska; U.S. 
Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida; and U.S. Central Command, 
Tampa, Florida) and testing personnel from the Office of the Director 
of Operational Testing and Evaluation, Washington, D.C., to determine 
if programs are optimally synchronized for testing and the consequences 
if they are not. We also analyzed cost data for the various programs to 
determine how much money was allocated to the satellites versus the 
ground control systems. 

To determine whether enhancements could be made to ground control 
systems and what challenges must be overcome to better utilize space 
systems, we interviewed DOD and government personnel at the Joint 
Requirements Oversight Council, Washington, D.C.; Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, 
Washington, D.C.; National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia; 
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.; United 
States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, 
California; the Navy's Blossom Point Tracking Facility, Maryland; and 
RAND Corporation, Los Angeles, California. 

We conducted this performance audit from November 2008 to September 
2009 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit 
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

[End of section] 

Appendix II: Summary of Synchronization Issues Affecting Testing: 

Satellite system and description: AEHF. A communications satellite 
intended to provide global, secure, jam-resistant communications 
capability for strategic and tactical warfighters; 
Synchronization issues and how testing is affected: 
* The prime contractor has experienced significant software development 
problems (issuing numerous deficiency reports) with an aspect of the 
ground control system that controls mission planning. Ground control 
system fielding will be delayed until the deficiencies are corrected 
and verified by the government testers; 
* The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) command 
post terminal for command and control (ability to "fly") of AEHF will 
be delayed. As a result, an interim, non-production-representative 
command and control terminal will have to be relied upon for testing 
and initial support of AEHF. In order to determine that a space system 
is operationally effective and suitable, production-representative 
equipment for all components must be in place for operational testing. 

Satellite system and description: MOUS. A communications satellite 
designed to provide a worldwide, multiservice population of mobile and 
fixed terminal users with narrow-band line of sight satellite 
communications capability. MUOS will be capable of operating in adverse 
weather conditions; 
Synchronization issues and how testing is affected: 
* Delays in the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminals mean that 
these are not well synchronized with MUOS. As a result, there may be no 
production-representative JTRS available for MUOS operational testing 
scheduled for fiscal year 2010, which will affect the ability to test 
several aspects of MUOS; 
* Because of development delays, the majority of MUOS testing will be 
conducted in a laboratory instead of an operational platform 
environment. This will limit the capability to assess operational 
effectiveness and suitability issues associated with satellites' 
payload performance in their intended environment. 

Satellite system and description: GPS. A navigation satellite with a 
space-based radio-positioning system providing navigation and timing 
data to military and civilian users worldwide; 
Synchronization issues and how testing is affected: 
* The development delays of a ground control system capable of 
commanding several significant satellite capabilities, which are 
designed to ensure that military GPS signals are secure, has delayed 
both testing and operational use of the capabilities. These 
capabilities could have been tested in 2005 if there had been no 
delays, but now they most likely will not be tested until 2010. As a 
result, by the time operational testing can be conducted for these 
significant capabilities, the entire GPS constellation (Block IIR-M and 
IIF satellites) will have already been launched, eliminating the 
opportunity for operational testing to influence the development of 
those satellites before they launch. Therefore, the overall lack of GPS 
program synchronization limits the utility of operational testing. 

Satellite system and description: SBIRS. A missile warning satellite 
designed to meet requirements in the missile warning, missile defense, 
technical intelligence, and battlespace characterization missions; 
Synchronization issues and how testing is affected: 
* The hardware for an important sensor capability was placed on the 
first increment of SBIRS satellites, but because of problems, the 
associated software to enable full utilization of the sensor data will 
not be available. As a result, this sensor's data will be available 
years before it can be fully utilized. From a testing standpoint, this 
means that initial satellite capabilities cannot be tested in time to 
affect the subsequent increment of satellites; 
* There has also been instability in the plan for the ground control 
system architecture because system requirements have continued to 
change. These requirements changes have led to ground software 
development delays and, from a test perspective, difficulties in 
developing an efficient test strategy. 

Satellite system and description: WGS. A communications satellite 
designed to provide essential communications services to U.S. 
warfighters, allies, and coalition partners during almost all levels of 
conflict; 
Synchronization issues and how testing is affected: 
* The mission planning system does not work as intended. It was 
acquired separately from the satellite, and its shortcomings affect the 
ability of the Wideband Satellite Operations Center to perform its 
missions. This affects the ability of testers to validate user 
operations. 

Source: GAO analysis of DOD data. 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix III: Synchronization Issues between Satellites and User 
Terminals: 

DOD program: Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite System; 
AEHF; 
* Initial operational capability (IOC) 2011[A] (two satellites 
fielded); 
* Full operational capability (FOC) date not specified by program[A]; 
User terminal synchronization issues: 
Air Force terminals: 
* FAB-T Increment 1; Function: Provide voice and data military 
satellite communications for nuclear and conventional forces as well as 
airborne and ground command posts. Synchronization issue: Two percent 
fielded by AEHF IOC (2011); 
* Ground Element Minimum Essential Emergency Communication Network; 
Function: Fixed and deployable communication for alerting aircrew of 
emergencies on bombers, tankers, and reconnaissance aircraft. 
Synchronization issue: Sixty-four percent fielded by AEHF IOC (2011); 
* Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communication Network Program --
Upgrade; Function: Provides 24/7 survivable, redundant communication 
links for the reception of emergency action messages and command and 
control of ICBM force. Synchronization issue: Fifty-two percent fielded 
by AEHF IOC (2011); 
* Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical Terminal; Function: Provide 
worldwide, low probability of intercept/detection, jam-resistant, 
survivable multichannel communications and robust operations. 
Synchronization issue: Fifty-eight percent fielded by AEHF IOC (2011); 
Navy terminal: 
* Navy Multiband Terminal; Function: Next generation of maritime 
satellite communication designed to enhance protected and survivable 
satellite communications to naval forces. Synchronization issue: Only 
14 percent fielded by AEHF IOC (2011). 

DOD program: NAVSTAR Global Positioning System; 
NAVSTAR GPS; 
User terminal synchronization issues: 
* Military GPS user equipment: DOD plans to field extensive GPS user 
equipment and terminals to assist with positioning and navigation on a 
variety of air, ground, and sea platforms. While we did not evaluate 
plans to field the many types of GPS user equipment, we did examine 
when user equipment would be able to utilize a modernized military 
signal (M-code), designed to be secure and jam resistant; 
Synchronization issue: The M-code signal is planned to reach its IOC on 
the GPS satellites and ground control system by 2014. While user 
terminals will start to receive and process the signal as they begin to 
be fielded leading up to 2025, the user equipment and terminals are not 
expected to be fully fielded and operational until that year. 

DOD program: National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental 
Satellite System; 
NPOESS; 
* IOC 2014 (one satellite fielded); 
* FOC 2017 (number of satellites not specified by program); 
User terminal synchronization issues: 
Navy terminals: 
* AN-SMQ-11 - Navy Field Terminal; Function: Fielded primarily 
shipboard, with some shore, depot, and training assets. It ingests, 
processes, stores, and displays environmental data records (EDR) from 
meteorology and oceanographic (METOC) satellite families. 
Synchronization issue: System is currently fielded, but program 
estimates that only 50 percent of population will be upgraded for 
NPOESS compatibility by NPOESS IOC (2014); 
* AN-FMQ-17 - Navy Field Terminal; Function: Fielded on shore only. It 
ingests, processes, stores, and displays EDRs from METOC satellite 
families. Synchronization issue: System is currently fielded, but 
program estimates that only 67 percent of population will be upgraded 
for NPOESS compatibility by NPOESS IOC (2014); 
Marine terminal: 
* Field Terminal Segment (FTS) Mobile; Function: Signal Processing 
Element (SPE), Data Processing Element (DPE), and Mission Applications 
Element (MAE). SPE receives, decrypts, and conducts basic RF 
processing. DPE provides the data analysis algorithms that transform 
the raw data into usable images and METOC data. MAE provides the 
graphical user interface for the system, conducts postprocessing 
analysis, and displays finished products. This capability is highly 
desired in the FTS for size and weight considerations. Synchronization 
issue: Twelve planned, but only 1 estimated to be available by NPOESS 
IOC; 
Air Force terminals: 
* MARK IVB and RSS terminals; Function: Both types of terminals 
designed to receive geostationary information. Synchronization issue: 
Systems are currently fielded and work with legacy systems. Plans and 
funding are in place to achieve NPOESS compatibility. 

DOD program: Mobile User Objective System; 
MUOS; 
* IOC 2011 (one satellite fielded); 
* FOC 2014 (when all five satellites are fielded); 
User terminal synchronization issues: 
Joint terminal: JTRS; Function: Software-defined radios that will 
interoperate and increase communication and networking capabilities. 
Synchronization issue: Less than 20 percent of MUOS-capable JTRS 
terminals available by MUOS IOC (on orbit capability) in late 2011. 

DOD program: Wideband Global SATCOM; 
WGS; 
* IOC 2009 (one satellite fielded); 
* FOC 2013 (when all five satellites are fielded); 
User terminal synchronization issues: 
Army, Navy, and Air Force - several airborne intelligence surveillance 
reconnaissance terminals; Synchronization issue: SADT for 
Predator/Reaper UAV, FAB-T Increment 2, and the Aerial Common Sensor--
all zero percent fielded as of WGS IOC (2009). 

Source: GAO analysis of DOD data. 

Legend: IOC = Initial Operational Capability; FOC = Full Operational 
Capability. 

[A] AEHF IOC (defined as two satellites fielded) is currently scheduled 
for 2011 and there is no specified FOC date. However, there is a new 
acquisition program baseline pending approval. If it is approved, IOC 
will be delayed until 2013, and FOC is projected for 2019 (defined as 
four satellites fielded) because of satellite development issues. If 
the IOC date becomes 2013, this will alleviate several of the terminal 
synchronization issues listed above. AEHF program management told us 
that the satellite delays have been fortuitous in that they have 
allowed the program to be more synchronized. Regardless, before this 
unplanned delay in IOC, the program was being managed with 
significantly less-than-optimal synchronization (as evidenced by the 
information above). 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix IV: Comments from the Department of Defense: 

Office Of The Under Secretary Of Defense: 
Acquisition, Technology And Logistics:
3000 Defense Pentagon: 
Washington, DC 20301-3000: 

Ms. Cristina Chaplain: 
Director, Acquisition and Sourcing: 
441 G Street, N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20548: 

Dear Ms. Chaplain: 

This is the Department of Defense (DoD) response to the GAO draft 
report 10-55, "Defense Acquisitions: Challenges In Aligning Space 
System Components," dated September 9, 2009 (GAO Code 120787). Detailed 
comments on the report recommendations are enclosed. 

The Department appreciates the opportunity to respond to your draft 
report and look forward to working with you to ensure alignment of 
Space System components. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Gil Klinger: 
Director: 
Space and Intelligence: 

Enclosures: As stated: 

[End of letter] 

GAO Draft Report Dated September 11, 2009: 
GAO-10-55 (GAO Code 120787): 

"Defense Acquisitions: Challenges In Aligning Space System Components" 

Department Of Defense Comments To The GAO Recommendations: 

Recommendation 1: The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense 
define a basic level of expected synchronization during the development 
of each space system acquisition based on delivering a capability to 
the warfighter. (p. 24/GAO Draft Report) 

DOD Response: Concur. The Department concurs that defining a basic 
level of expected synchronization during development of new space-based 
capabilities may better inform acquisition decision makers. As noted in 
the report, the Department, through the Commander of Strategic Command, 
has already established a synchronization measure for military 
satellite communications (MILSATCOM) capabilities and a bi-annual 
report is published on MILSATCOM synchronization based on Service 
MILSATCOM terminal fielding plans. These data are included in each 
Defense Acquisition Board MILSATCOM system review. In addition, as the 
Net-Centric Capability Portfolio Manager the OASD(NII) periodically 
reviews MILSATCOM capability fielding as a function of alignment 
between satellite and terminal fielding. A similar measure might be 
beneficially applied to other space systems. However, the delivery of 
capabilities to the warfighter is dependent on military deployments and 
the Combatant Commanders' need to respond swiftly to emerging 
situations. To more-specifically define a level of synchronization 
based on fielded warfighter capabilities would require tying dynamic 
operational deployment plans to capability measures and acquisition 
program schedules. 

Recommendation 2: The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense 
assess the value of designating an office with responsibility for 
overseeing the relative progress of satellite, ground, and user 
terminal programs with the aim of ensuring that problems that could 
affect the ability to synchronize a space system are known and 
addressed. (p. 24/GAO Draft Report) 

DOD Response: Concur. The Department has already taken actions to 
improve space system acquisition programs. In June 2008, to more 
effectively conduct oversight of the space and intelligence enterprise, 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and 
Logistics [USD(AT&L)] created the Space and Intelligence Office. 
Additionally in 2008 and 2009, the USD(AT&L) approved several 
recommendations from a Joint Analysis Team (JAT) that assessed the 
effectiveness of the Department's various acquisition oversight bodies. 
Two special boards were disestablished (Defense Space Acquisition Board 
and Joint Tactical Radio System Board Of Directors) and all space and 
intelligence programs were directed to be governed by the Defense 
Acquisition Board. Additional acquisition effectiveness may be 
available by assessing the Overarching Integrated Product Team (OIPT) 
governance structure of space acquisition programs. 

Recommendation 3: The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense 
formulate guidance to better align space system components so that all 
components are available to facilitate optimal operational testing. (p. 
24/GAO Draft Report) 

DOD Response: Partially Concur. The Department has already taken 
several steps to better align and consolidate space system oversight, 
as noted in the Department's response to recommendation 2. However, the 
Department should not significantly further delay providing the 
warfighter with needed space system capabilities in order to optimize 
operational testing if a space system component is significantly 
delayed. The Department in all cases will conduct adequate operational 
testing of space systems. 

Recommendation 4: The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense 
develop DoD-wide guidance, specific to space systems, to allow for the 
integration and consolidation, to the extent feasible, of DoD's current 
and future satellite ground control systems via common ground 
architecture or by similar means. (p. 24/GAO Draft Report) 

DOD Response: Concur. The Department agrees that the integration and 
consolidation of satellite ground control systems has many benefits. 
For example, since March 2002 the Department has been pursuing this 
capability with the Air Force's Command Control System —Consolidated 
(CCS-C). CCS-C has consolidated the satellite ground control systems 
for Defense Satellite Communication Systems (DSCS), Milstar, and 
Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) Block I. By October, 2011, CCS-C will also 
be controlling the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) System as 
well as WGS Block II. Although additional guidance may be needed, 
existing guidance allows for the integration and consolidation of 
satellite ground control systems as evidenced by as demonstrated by the 
CCS-C program. 

Recommendation 5: The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense 
provide annual documentation to Congress that specifically delineates 
the cost, and cost performance, associated with (1) the satellites, (2) 
the ground control systems, and (3) associated user terminals, and as a 
result, provide the total cost of all planned components of each space 
system acquisition. (p. 24/GAO Draft Report) 

DOD Response: Concur. The Department agrees that a report to Congress 
that highlights the cost and cost performance of satellites, ground 
control systems, and associated user equipment is valuable to informing 
Congressional oversight. The Department already provides these data via 
annual Select Acquisition Reports based on cost and cost performance 
metrics contained in Acquisition Program Baselines. 

[End of section] 

Appendix V: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments: 

GAO Contact: 

Cristina T. Chaplain (202) 512-4841 or chaplainc@gao.gov: 

Acknowledgments: 

In addition to the contact named above, key contributors to this report 
were Art Gallegos, Assistant Director; Michael Aiken; Greg Campbell; 
John Crawford; Claire Cyrnak; John Krump; and Don Springman. 

[End of section] 

Footnotes: 

[1] There are 10 unified combatant commands. Six combatant commands 
have geographic responsibilities to plan and execute military 
operations in their respective regions. Four combatant commands have 
functional responsibilities, for example, providing transportation 
services. 

[2] SATCOM stands for satellite communications. 

[3] It should be noted that while there are criteria for communications 
satellites, there are no criteria available in DOD that determine the 
optimum alignment or synchronization for the broader portfolio of 
satellite programs. This is principally because of inherent differences 
in satellite missions and their associated ground and user assets, 
according to officials involved in space system development as well as 
acquisition oversight. 

[4] Spoofing is a process where an entity gains unauthorized access to 
a system to disrupt the normal flow of information. 

[5] That is, the first geosynchronous earth orbiting satellite to be 
delivered by the SBIRS program, rather than a previously deployed 
missile warning sensor that is now in orbit on two highly elliptical 
orbiting satellites. 

[6] GAO, Defense Acquisitions: Department of Defense Needs Framework 
for Balancing Investments in Tactical Radios, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-877] (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 15, 
2008). 

[7] Mobile User Objective System Independent Program Assessment Build 
Approval, February 2008. 

[8] STRATCOM is a combatant command with the functional responsibility 
for space and information operations; missile defense; global command 
and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; strategic 
deterrence; and integration and synchronization of DOD's departmentwide 
efforts in combating weapons of mass destruction. 

[9] DOT&E is DOD's primary office responsible for the testing of 
weapons, equipment, or munitions under operational, or realistic, 
conditions for the purpose of determining their effectiveness and 
suitability for use. 

[10] GAO, Global Positioning System: Significant Challenges in 
Sustaining and Upgrading Widely Used Capabilities, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-325] (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 30, 
2009). 

[11] Defense Science Board Task Force, The Future of the Global 
Positioning System, (Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2005). 

[12] Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security 
Space Management and Organization, January 2001. 

[13] GAO, Defense Acquisitions: DOD Management Approach and Processes 
Not Well-Suited to Support Development of Global Information Grid, 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-211] (Washington, D.C.: 
Jan. 30, 2006). 

[14] JTEO is an Air Force office that provides a DOD-wide view of 
MILSATCOM synchronization. 

[15] Net-centric refers to the capability to discover, access, trust 
and use information within a complex community of people, devices, 
information and services interconnected by a communications network to 
achieve optimal benefit of resources. 

[16] Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, Public Law 111-23, 
May 22, 2009. 

[17] Selected Acquisition Reports, primary sources for cost information 
on all major DOD acquisition programs (including space systems), for 
example, do not show costs associated with the ground control systems, 
but instead show the combined total costs of satellites and ground 
control systems. 

[18] These comprehensive, summary status reports on major defense 
acquisition programs are required for periodic submission to the 
Congress. 

[19] Open systems allow the use of commercially available products from 
multiple vendors, rather than developing unique components. 

[20] GAO, Ballistic Missile Defense: More Common Systems and Components 
Could Result in Cost Savings, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/NSIAD-99-101] (Washington, D.C.: May 
21, 1999). 

[21] The Blossom Point Tracking Facility is located in Maryland near 
Washington, D.C. 

[22] The Air Force does have a similar capability specifically for 
communications satellite constellations, but no capability to allow for 
control of multiple space systems with different missions. 

[23] DOD Directive 8320.02, December 2, 2004. 

[24] The Defense Science Board is an advisory board within DOD that 
provides independent advice to the Secretary of Defense. 

[25] Defense Science Board Task Force, Creating an Assured Joint DOD 
and Interagency Interoperable Net-Centric Enterprise, Office of the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics 
(Washington, D.C., March 2009). 

[26] DOD does not have a measure of synchronization for space 
acquisitions with missions other than military satellite 
communications. 

[27] U.S. Strategic Command, SATCOM Mission Area Initial Capabilities 
Document, August 2004. DOD also has a definition for optimal military 
satellite communications user terminal synchronization of 50 percent of 
a type of user terminal fielded by a space acquisition's initial 
capability date and 95 percent by its' full capability date. 

[End of section] 

GAO's Mission: 

The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation and 
investigative arm of Congress, exists to support Congress in meeting 
its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance 
and accountability of the federal government for the American people. 
GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and 
policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance 
to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding 
decisions. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core 
values of accountability, integrity, and reliability. 

Obtaining Copies of GAO Reports and Testimony: 

The fastest and easiest way to obtain copies of GAO documents at no 
cost is through GAO's Web site [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Each 
weekday, GAO posts newly released reports, testimony, and 
correspondence on its Web site. To have GAO e-mail you a list of newly 
posted products every afternoon, go to [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov] 
and select "E-mail Updates." 

Order by Phone: 

The price of each GAO publication reflects GAO’s actual cost of
production and distribution and depends on the number of pages in the
publication and whether the publication is printed in color or black and
white. Pricing and ordering information is posted on GAO’s Web site, 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/ordering.htm]. 

Place orders by calling (202) 512-6000, toll free (866) 801-7077, or
TDD (202) 512-2537. 

Orders may be paid for using American Express, Discover Card,
MasterCard, Visa, check, or money order. Call for additional 
information. 

To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs: 

Contact: 

Web site: [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm]: 
E-mail: fraudnet@gao.gov: 
Automated answering system: (800) 424-5454 or (202) 512-7470: 

Congressional Relations: 

Ralph Dawn, Managing Director, dawnr@gao.gov: 
(202) 512-4400: 
U.S. Government Accountability Office: 
441 G Street NW, Room 7125: 
Washington, D.C. 20548: 

Public Affairs: 

Chuck Young, Managing Director, youngc1@gao.gov: 
(202) 512-4800: 
U.S. Government Accountability Office: 
441 G Street NW, Room 7149: 
Washington, D.C. 20548: