Missile Defense: Ballistic Missile Defense System Testing Delays Affect Delivery of Capabilities
Abstract
For over half a century, the Department of Defense (DOD) has been funding efforts to develop a system to detect, track, and defeat enemy ballistic missiles. The current systemthe Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS)includes a diverse collection of land-, sea-, and space-based assets located around the globe. Since 2002, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA)the agency charged with developing an integrated the BMDShas received approximately $123 billion to develop and deploy this highly complex group of systems. Additionally, it is planning to spend around $38 billion through fiscal year 2020 to continue its efforts to develop, integrate, and field BMDS elements and supporting efforts, such as BMDS targets necessary for testing. Since 2002, various National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) included provisions for GAO to prepare annual assessments of MDAs progress toward meeting its acquisition goals. The fiscal year 2012 NDAA requires us to report on the extent to which MDA has achieved its stated acquisition goals and objectives, as reported through its acquisition baselines in the BMDS Accountability Report (BAR), and include any other findings and recommendations on MDAs acquisition programs and accountability, as appropriate.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 28, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1013565
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office