Defense Acquisitions: Space System Acquisition Risks and Keys to Addressing Them

Abstract

On April 6, 2006, we testified before the subcommittee on the Department of Defenses (DOD) space acquisitions. In fiscal year 2007, DOD expects to spend nearly $7 billion to acquire space-based capabilities to support current military and other government operations as well as to enable DOD to transform the way it collects and disseminates information, gathers data on its adversaries, and attacks targets. Despite its growing investment in space, however, DODs space system acquisitions have experienced problems over the past several decades that have driven up costs by hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars; stretched schedules by years; and increased performance risks. In some cases, capabilities have not been delivered to the warfighter after decades of development. Within this context, you requested that we provide additional comments regarding the need for better program management, space acquisition policy, and DOD's Space Radar and Transformational Satellite Communications System acquisitions. Your specific questions and our answers are discussed below.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2006
Accession Number
AD1122887

Entities

People

  • Cristina Chaplain

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Best Practices
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Cost Estimates
  • Governments
  • Manufacturing
  • Military Acquisition
  • Product Development
  • Program Management
  • Reconnaissance Satellites
  • Space Based
  • Space Systems
  • Standards
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Weapon Systems

Readers

  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting

Technology Areas

  • Space