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Open Recommendations

Robotic Autonomous Systems: Navy Needs to Address Leadership and Organizational Challenges to Meet Urgent Needs
GAO-26-109014
Jun 15, 2026
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations should determine how to organize RAS capabilities as a portfolio in a way to provide consistent leadership and meet the Navy's objectives across warfighting domains.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations should develop and implement a plan to facilitate capability-centric approaches and iterative development approaches after establishing an organizational structure of the RAS portfolio.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations should clearly identify and define the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders for RAS and develop a stakeholder management plan.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Congress Congress should consider amending the provision of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 to allow the Navy to designate the role of the Acquisition Executive Agent for Autonomy to appropriate leadership with authority that matches the responsibilities of the position, without restriction to a Program Executive Office.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Special Operations Forces: Actions Needed to Improve Monitoring of Acquisitions
GAO-26-108036
Jun 12, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should, as it fully institutionalizes the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD(SO/LIC)) in policy and guidance, ensure that ASD(SO/LIC) and the Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command collaborate to document clear protocols that enable ASD(SO/LIC) to perform its acquisition-related responsibilities. Such protocols should address ASD(SO/LIC)'s participation in meetings and access to information related to acquisition 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 Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command updates the Command's acquisition policy documents to specify the frequency and circumstances under which program officials should routinely update the total program cost estimates in the acquisition portal or equivalent systems. Such circumstances could include, for example, any time that cost estimates for an acquisition program have changed. (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 Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command updates the Command's acquisition policy documents to reflect leading practices for iterative product development and encourage programs to more consistently adopt them to enhance speed and innovation. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

F-35 Sustainment: Actions Needed to Ensure Updated Strategy Improves Persistent Readiness Challenges
GAO-26-108113
Jun 11, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the F-35 Program Executive Officer proactively develops risk mitigation plans—including, but not limited to, for risks such as access to technical data, industry capacity, affordability, and alignment with service goals—associated with sustainment improvement initiatives such as the GSS Reset. (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, through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the F-35 Program Executive Officer, should ensure future incentive approaches better achieve the desired performance for sustainment contracts. Such approaches could include adopting penalties for poor performance, reevaluating incentive threshold levels to improve performance to meet service requirements, or omitting performance incentives. (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 Acquisition and Sustainment, in consultation with the F-35 Program Executive Officer, develops and implements a system with quality control safeguards in place to obtain, generate, and store relevant, quality incentive fee metric and payment information, and ensure that procedures for documenting changes to the contract are followed. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Aerial Refueling Tankers: Air Force Needs More Focused Metrics and a Risk-Based Mitigation Plan to Improve Sustainment
GAO-26-109154
Jun 10, 2026
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should direct the use of metrics and standards that specifically assess the aerial refueling capability of its tanker fleet. (Recommendation 1)
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 require the Air Mobility Command, in coordination with its subordinate organizations and relevant program offices, to regularly report on the metrics and standards adopted to assess the aerial refueling capability of its tanker fleet. (Recommendation 2)
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 direct a service-wide comprehensive assessment of risks associated with sustainment of its aerial refueling tanker fleet, including their likelihood and impact. (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 direct the development of a mitigation plan based on the results of a risk assessment associated with sustainment of its aerial refueling tanker fleet. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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