Defense Acquisitions: Status of the KE-ASAT Program
Abstract
In April of this year, you asked us to conduct a review of the kinetic energy anti-satellite (KE-ASAT) program. This program began in 1989 as an effort to leverage off technologies previously developed in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative and other space and missile defense research programs. It currently involves the development of a ground launched ,high-speed kill vehicle that can destroy or disable low-earth orbiting satellites that track U.S. and allied forces. As agreed with your staff, we focused on (1) assessing the status of the KE-ASAT program, including any efforts by the Army to redirect the program, and (2) determining whether any KE-ASAT funds from fiscal years 1996-2000 were allocated in appropriately to support efforts not directly related to the program. To assess the status of the program, we reviewed relevant program documents and interviewed key officials. In examining the allocation of program funds, we reviewed funding authorization documents and assessed contract and program data for each reported funding obligation, looking for evidence that the funding supported the KE-ASAT program. We recently completed our review in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards and briefed your staff on the preliminary findings and results in October. We also provided a similar briefing to the Commander of the Armys Space and Missile Defense Command. Following the briefing, we conducted additional audit work to examine additional materials provided by your staff. The additional audit work confirms that our initial findings are as accurate and reliable as possible given the data available to us at that time.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2000
- Accession Number
- AD1106034
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office