Progress and Problems of the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Program
C-MASAD-81-6
Published: Feb 23, 1981. Publicly Released: Feb 23, 1981.
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Highlights
The Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is being developed as an all-weather, air-to-air missile responding to Air Force and Navy operational requirements for the 1985-2005 timeframe. Operating within and beyond visual range, AMRAAM is to be compatible with the F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18 and other appropriate aircraft. It is intended to replace the aging SPARROW medium range air-to-air missile. GAO was severely hampered in its review of AMRAAM because the Air Force withheld most of the current cost, schedule, and performance data on the basis of the data being competition sensitive. Therefore, the program's status could not be fully assessed.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should align the development schedule for the high-altitude, high-speed target with the AMRAAM full-scale engineering development schedule. |
The agency did not concur and plans to continue the development of the target under its existing program schedule.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should urge the adoption of rules-of-engagement, pending improved identification, friend, or foe capability, which permit optimum employment of such air superiority systems as AMRAAM. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should provide Congress with the total estimated cost of development, procurement, and deployment of AMRAAM, including the associated aircraft modification costs. |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should reconsider the need for high-altitude, high-speed target subsystems, such as improved radar and infrared augmentation, cooperative vector scoring, and threat-representative countermeasures, in order to adequately test the operational capabilities of AMRAAM. |
The agency does not concur and believes that the ground-based scoring, in conjunction with other systems, will meet the test requirements.
|
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Defense contingency planningDefense procurementLife cycle costsMissilesProgram evaluationTestingWeapons systemsMilitary forcesEngineeringInternational organizations