Electronic Warfare: Most Air Force ALQ-135 Jammers Procured Without Operational Testing
NSIAD-95-47
Published: Nov 22, 1994. Publicly Released: Dec 20, 1994.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Air Force's $2-billion program to acquire an upgraded version of the ALQ-135 jammer, focusing on whether the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Air Force took the necessary measures to ensure that the jammer demonstrated acceptable performance before production and deployment.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should establish adequate internal controls over all Air Force electronic warfare programs to ensure that systems are satisfactorily tested and demonstrate acceptable performance before producing and deploying them. In particular, if the ALQ-135 Band 1.5 program is to proceed, the Secretary of Defense should prohibit any further procurement of the Band 1.5 until the Air Force demonstrates satisfactory performance of the system during operational testing using the eight units it already has procured. |
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD maintained that it had already strengthened its oversight of electronic warfare programs and that additional oversight was not necessary. DOD also stated that the eight Band 1.5 units would be refurbished for use in developmental testing but that, if operational testing of Band 1.5 were initiated, the Air Force might wish to buy one lot of production units for use in the operational testing.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should require a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the best approach to provide jammer protection for the F-15E. If the best approach is determined to be other than the upgraded ALQ-135, to include the Band 1.5, the Secretary should stop currently planned procurement of Band 3 systems for F-15C aircraft and use existing F-15E Band 3 systems to meet the F-15C requirements. |
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD stated that the Band 1.5 was not a new program requiring a cost-effectiveness analysis.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should limit planned operational testing of the ALQ-135 Band 3 to effectiveness issues only, since most of the systems have already been procured. Data needed to evaluate the system's operational suitability characteristics, such as reliability and maintainability, can be obtained during exercises by the tactical units to which it has been deployed. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD concurred with this recommendation, and the planned initial operational testing and evaluation will focus on the effectiveness of the system.
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Air defense systemsAir Force procurementAircraft componentsElectronic warfareProcurement evaluationProcurement policyProduct evaluationRadar equipmentSystems analysisTesting