Strategic Defense Initiative Program: National Test Bed Acquisition Has Not Proceeded as Planned.
Abstract
The purpose of the National Test Bed (NTB) Program is to provide a computer-based simulation capability to assess strategic defense systems without actually building or deploying such a system. In March 1983, the President called for a comprehensive scientific research effort to develop a system that would render ballistic missiles impotent and obsolete. This effort, known as the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), is a multibillion dollar research program to determine the feasibility of developing and deploying a defense system against nuclear ballistic missiles. Strategic Defense Initiative Organization was formed by the Secretary of Defense to manage the program and explore candidate technologies for a strategic defense system. Throughout the concept demonstration/validation phase, extensive testing and evaluation of the proposed strategic defense system will be required to support a decision in the early 1990s (generally anticipated in 1992), on whether to proceed into the full-scale development phase. The NTB program, initiated by SDIO in February 1986, is essential to testing and evaluating a strategic defense system, as well as its component technologies. Acquisition of NTB capabilities, however, has not proceeded as planned.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA194474
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office