Longbow Apache Helicopter: Key Factors Used to Measure Progress in Development Need to Be Changed
NSIAD-92-43
Published: Nov 21, 1991. Publicly Released: Dec 26, 1991.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's acquisition plan for the Longbow Apache modernization program, focusing on whether the: (1) plan is designed to identify and correct potential problems before entering full-rate production; and (2) requirements used to evaluate the Longbow Apache will effectively measure its key performance capabilities.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Army to amend the Longbow Apache's requirements document and program baseline to include the current reliability requirements mean time between mission-affecting failure and mean time between essential maintenance actions, and also amend the requirements document to include mean time between unscheduled maintenance actions. |
DOD responded that the Longbow program baseline has included scheduled and unscheduled mean time between maintenance action parameters since March 1991. DOD believes these parameters encompass the total maintenance workload better than the mission-oriented parameters suggested by GAO. DOD and the Army plan no further action on this recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Army to revise the Army's definition of maintenance man-hours per flight hour to include, as directed by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, all time related to maintenance work on the aircraft so that an adequate number of maintenance personnel will be provided. |
DOD directed the Army to expand its maintenance workload data collection effort to capture direct, indirect, and nonproduction activities, instead of revising the definition for maintenance man-hour per flight hour as GAO suggested. As of March 24, 1992, the Army has completed this effort and is implementing the results. An official Army response to the DOD-IG is forthcoming.
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Aircraft maintenanceArmy procurementCombat readinessHelicoptersMilitary aircraftMilitary cost controlOperational testingProcurement planningRequirements definitionMilitary forces