GAO raises crimson flags over provide chain points and delays in DoD house applications

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon stays sluggish in fielding revolutionary weapon techniques whilst safety dangers intensify, the Authorities Accountability Workplace stated in its annual evaluation of main arms applications launched June 17. 

The congressional watchdog’s report examined 70 main weapon techniques throughout the army providers. GAO flags a number of hiccups in House Power applications, together with long-standing points with the World Positioning System’s floor management system and consumer gear. It additionally cites provide chain challenges and technical dangers for the House Growth Company’s deliberate constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit. 

Subsequent-gen GPS floor system

The Subsequent Era Operational Management System (OCX) is a GPS floor management system that has been in growth for many years. The report warned that additional delays in OCX may influence the rollout of latest GPS satellites. Particularly, the launch and operation of the next-generation GPS IIIF satellites will depend on delivering OCX’s future Block 3F functionality on time. 

GPS consumer gear

A program to construct GPS receivers for handheld units and munitions — referred to as Navy GPS Person Gear (MGUE) Increment 2 — is growing satellite tv for pc receivers suitable with safer army indicators.

GAO estimated that this system won’t full its prototyping effort inside the five-year time-frame set by DoD. It attributed the potential for additional delays, partly, to vendor staffing ranges, ongoing delays in chip growth, and program workplace delays in offering info to help vendor exams. A Protection Contract Administration Company evaluation predicted this system received’t full prototyping inside the Pentagon’s five-year deadline because of points like staffing shortfalls.

Proliferated LEO satellites

The report examined the House Growth Company’s deliberate constellation of missile-tracking satellites. GAO stated SDA is evaluating dangers across the provide chain, the supply of subcontractors and guaranteeing interoperability between a number of distributors’ optical communications terminals.

SDA developed an optical communication terminal normal for satellite tv for pc distributors to be able to allow interoperability. Nonetheless, officers advised GAO that SDA’s optical terminal normal is completely different from industrial requirements, and distributors have completely different interpretations. Because of this, Tranche 1 Monitoring Layer information initially could must be processed on the bottom and relayed again to house, including delays.

For the Transport Layer offering information communications, the SDA has struggled to rent software program engineers and different specialists wanted to maintain this system on monitor amid competitors for expertise within the house sector, the GAO discovered. 

Greater Image: ‘Alarmingly’ gradual modernization 

Total, the report paints a troubling image of the Pentagon’s means to quickly discipline cutting-edge tech.

“DoD stays alarmingly gradual in delivering new and revolutionary weapon system capabilities, whilst nationwide safety threats proceed to evolve,” the GAO stated, warning that threats like China’s army modernization and adversaries’ AI capabilities demand a swifter strategy.

“The variety of threats in house additionally continues to develop, together with adversarial growth of how to focus on U.S. house property and communications,” the GAO stated, including that China is modernizing to problem American army superiority. “Fast developments in know-how and innovation are shared worldwide, and different threats will proceed to emerge,” stated the report. In the meantime, “the pace of technological change outpaces the responsiveness of the present acquisition construction.”

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