Defense Acquisitions: Restructured JTRS Program Reduces Risk, but Significant Challenges Remain

Abstract

In 1997, the Department of Defense (DOD) initiated the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program, a key element of its effort to transform military operations to be network centric. Using emerging software-defined radio technology, the JTRS program plans to develop and procure hundreds of thousands of radios that give warfighters the capability to access maps and other visual data, communicate via voice and video, and obtain information directly from battlefield sensors. The JTRS program has encountered a number of problems, resulting in significant delays and cost increases. The program is currently estimated to total about $37 billion. Given the criticality of JTRS to DODs force transformation, Congress directed GAO to continue its ongoing review of the JTRS program. This report (1) assesses whether a recent restructuring puts the program in a better position to succeed and (2) identifies any risks that challenge the successful fielding of JTRS.

Document Details

• Document Type: Technical Report
• Publication Date: Sep 01, 2006
• Accession Number: AD1105268

Entities

People

• Amy Sweet
• Hai Tran
• James Tallon
• John Oppenheim
• Karen Sloan
• Katherine Bittinger
• Paul Williams
• Ridge Bowman
• Tristan To

Organizations

• United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Cyber
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Human Systems
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Aircrafts
• Communication Systems
• Computer Programs
• Computers
• Congress
• Digital Communications
• Frequency Bands
• Multiple Access
• Operating Systems
• Organizational Structure
• Radio Equipment
• Software Defined Radio
• Software-Defined Radio Waveforms
• System Software
• Test And Evaluation
• United States Government
• Warfare

Readers

• Computer Networking
• Government Contracting/Procurement.
• Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.