Missile Defense: European Phased Adaptive Approach Acquisitions Face Synchronization, Transparency, and Accountability Challenges

This report formally transmits our briefing on acquisition management for the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA). This is one of two products we are issuing in response to congressional October 13, 2009 request that we evaluate the Department of Defense's (DOD) plans for implementing EPAA. We provided congressional staff a draft copy of this briefing in a meeting with them on September 22, 2010. We do not make any recommendations in the briefing. We will issue a final report on broader issues of European missile defense that will include the material in the briefing. That final product will have recommendations, as appropriate. For the briefing we sought to answer two questions: (1) What key acquisition planning and management practices are in place for EPAA? (2) Are there near-term development risks for EPAA?