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Open Recommendations

Osprey Aircraft: Additional Oversight and Information Sharing Would Improve Safety Efforts
GAO-26-107285
Dec 12, 2025
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, refine the joint program's process for identifying, analyzing, and responding to all Osprey safety risks—including incorporating and prioritizing system and non-system safety risks. (Recommendation 1)
Open
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 ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, determine an oversight structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for resolving known system and non-system safety risks in a timely manner and conducting periodic reviews of efforts to resolve them. (Recommendation 2)
Open
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 ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, assess safety information sharing agreements and update them as needed to ensure that a process exists to proactively share relevant safety information from hazard and accident reporting with Osprey units and unit safety personnel across the military services. (Recommendation 3)
Open
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 ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, establish a routine method, such as a recurring multi-service conference to share information on Osprey aircraft knowledge and emergency procedures. (Recommendation 4)
Open
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 ensure that the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations; the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; the Commandant of the Marine Corps; and the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, conduct a comprehensive review of maintenance guidance and inspection procedures and update them as needed to ensure that Osprey units are using the system for tracking serialized aircraft components. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Weapon Systems Testing: DOD Needs to Update Policies to Better Support Modernization Efforts
GAO-26-107009
Dec 11, 2025
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13 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to provide input into the development of acquisition strategies, including on testing-related topics such as the use of and access to digital twins and digital threads. (Recommendation 1)
Open
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 ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop test strategies and test plans that reflect an iterative, integrated testing approach enabled by digital twins and digital threads to support delivery of minimum viable products. (Recommendation 2)
Open
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 ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation revise their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering policies to fully reflect leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop and implement test strategies and test plans that incorporate end user agreements that detail a process for obtaining ongoing user input and feedback for the system under test. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to provide input into the development of acquisition strategies, including on testing-related topics such as the use of and access to digital twins and digital threads. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop test strategies and test plans that reflect an iterative, integrated testing approach enabled by digital twins and digital threads to support delivery of minimum viable products. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should, as the Air Force revises its weapon system test and evaluation policy, ensure that policy fully reflects leading practices for product development by requiring developmental and operational testers to develop and implement test strategies and test plans that incorporate end user agreements that detail a process for obtaining ongoing user input and feedback for the system under test. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Defense Budget: Clearer Guidance Is Needed to Improve Visibility into Resourcing of Pacific Deterrence Efforts
GAO-26-107698
Nov 25, 2025
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) revises DOD's guidance on PDI to clarify program selection criteria—including those related to enhancements, RDT&E programs, facilities sustainment, and geographic location—and to establish processes, including roles and responsibilities, for selecting and validating PDI programs. [Recommendation 1]
Open
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 ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), in coordination with INDOPACOM, updates PDI processes to ensure that DOD reviews and considers INDOPACOM's funded priorities for inclusion in the annual PDI budget exhibit. [Recommendation 2]
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Information Environment: DOD Needs to Address Security Risks of Publicly Accessible Information
GAO-26-107492
Nov 17, 2025
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12 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Defense Security Enterprise Executive Committee assesses existing departmental security policies and guidance to identify gaps associated with risks in the digital environment; and makes recommendations on updating policy and guidance to reduce the risks of digital information about DOD and its personnel being publicly accessible. In conducting this assessment, the executive committee should include all OSD offices that oversee security areas and the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. (Recommendation 1)
Open
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 ensure that the Defense Security Enterprise Executive Committee improves collaboration across the department to reduce the risks of information about DOD and its personnel being publicly accessible. Collaboration should include all OSD offices that oversee security areas and the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. (Recommendation 2)
Open
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 ensure that the Defense Security Enterprise Executive Committee reviews and assesses security training to ensure that digital profile issues are considered in all security areas—counterintelligence, force protection, insider threat, mission assurance, OPSEC, and program protection—and makes any appropriate recommendations for action to improve the representation of digital profile threats in security training across the department. (Recommendation 3)
Open
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 ensure that U.S. Cyber Command provides security training to its workforce on threats in the security areas of counterintelligence, insider threat, and OPSEC. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Air Force is conducting required assessments in the security areas of force protection, insider threat, and mission assurance. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Army is conducting required assessments in the security areas of force protection, insider threat, and mission assurance. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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