Army Armored Systems: Meeting Crusader Requirements Will Be a Technical Challenge
NSIAD-97-121
Published: Jun 06, 1997. Publicly Released: Jun 06, 1997.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed selected aspects of the Army's Crusader program to determine: (1) the status of the program; and (2) whether there are any alternative howitzer systems that could meet the Crusader requirements.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To minimize the risk of prematurely entering production, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Army to establish criteria specifying, at a minimum, that the Crusader system demonstrate that it meets all key requirements and is on schedule for meeting its reliability requirement before entering low-rate initial production and is operationally effective and suitable before entering full-rate production. If, at either point, the Crusader system does not demonstrate that it meets its requirements, then the Secretary of the Army should determine whether an alternative artillery system may be a better way to improve the Army's artillery capabilities. |
As a result of the Army's recent changes to lighten the Crusader system, DOD has questioned whether the Crusader is the appropriate platform for the Army's indirect fire mission. The Army is performing an Analysis of Alternatives to determine whether an alternative artillery system may be a better way of improving the Army's artillery capabilities.
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