Assessing Production Capabilities and Constraints in the Defense Industrial Base

In response to a congressional request, GAO: (1) reviewed the defense industrial base (DIB) to examine data on production delays, inferior quality, and cost increases; and (2) developed a methodology for understanding the origin and incidence of the problems. The DIB consists of private firms and government facilities that produce weapon systems and other items for the Department of Defense (DOD). During the last 5 years, concern has increased about the problems the DIB is having in meeting the national defense requirements.