Defense Budget: Potential Reductions to DOD's Ammunition Budgets | U.S. GAO

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the military services' fiscal year (FY) 1991 budget requests for ammunition items and the Army's request for ammunition production base support.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's ammunition budget request by $343.3 million for 21 items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Army's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $152.1 million for 11 ammunition items. They did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's ammunition budget request by $343.3 million for 21 items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Army's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $152.1 million for 11 ammunition items. They did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Navy's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $19.6 million and its FY 1990 appropriation by $1 million.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Navy's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $17.8 million for 3 items, but did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Navy's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $19.6 million and its FY 1990 appropriation by $1 million.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Navy's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $17.8 million for 3 items and did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Air Force's ammunition budget request by $62.6 million for two items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Air Force's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $62.6 million for 2 items, as recommended.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Air Force's ammunition budget request by $62.6 million for two items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Air Force's FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $62.6 million for 2 items, as recommended.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Marine Corps' ammunition budget request by $8.5 million for three items and increase its request by $2.3 million for two other items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Marine Corps' FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $8.5 million for 3 items, as recommended.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Marine Corps' ammunition budget request by $8.5 million for three items and increase its request by $2.3 million for two other items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Marine Corps' FY 1991 ammunition budget request by $8.5 million for 3 items, as recommended.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's FY 1989 appropriation by $88,000 for one item and its FY 1990 appropriation by $48.9 million for two items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Army's FY 1990 ammunition appropriation for 1 item by $18 million. They did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations should reduce the Army's FY 1989 appropriation by $88,000 for one item and its FY 1990 appropriation by $48.9 million for two items.	Closed – Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations reduced the Army's FY 1990 ammunition appropriation for 1 item by $18 million. They did not make the other recommended reductions.
The Senate and House Committees should either reduce the Air Force ammunition budget request for another item by $2.4 million or increase the procurement quantity for the item.	Closed – Not Implemented	The Senate and House Appropriations Committees did not reduce the budget request or increase the procurement quantity. Since Congress has completed actions on the FY 1991 budget, the recommendation is no longer applicable. GAO will follow-up on this recommendation during the FY 1992 ammunition budget review and make a new recommendation if the program can still be reduced.
The Senate and House Committees should either reduce the Air Force ammunition budget request for another item by $2.4 million or increase the procurement quantity for the item.	Closed – Not Implemented	The Senate and House Committees on Appropriations did not reduce the budget request or increase the procurement quantity. Since Congress has completed actions on the FY 1991 budget, the recommendation is no longer applicable. GAO will follow-up on this recommendation during the FY 1992 ammunition budget review and make a new recommendation if the program can still be reduced.

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AmmunitionArmy procurementBudget cutsDefense budgetsDefense cost controlFuture budget projectionsMilitary budgetsMilitary inventoriesMunitionsProcurement cancellation