B-2 Bomber: Additional Costs to Correct Deficiencies and Make Improvements.
Abstract
The conference report on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 requires us to report to the congressional defense committees at regular intervals on the total acquisition costs of the B-2A bomber through the completion of the production program. The last production aircraft was delivered in November 1997, and all aircraft are scheduled to be updated to the latest defined (block 30) configuration by July 2000. This report discusses deficiencies that must be corrected to achieve Air Force objectives for the B-2A, additional costs to correct the deficiencies, and the B-2A modification schedule. The Air Force began development of the B-2A in 1981 and reported on June 30,1997, after 16 years, that the development and the initial operational test and evaluation had been completed. The Air Force reports of the initial operational tests were completed in November 1997. In 1986, the Air Force estimated that B-2A development could be completed for $14.5 billion, including a 4-year, 3,600-hour flight test program scheduled at that time to end in 1993. The flight test program ended June 30,1997, and the estimated cost of the development program had grown to over $24 billion and the flight test program to about 5,000 flight test hours over 8 years. The development and testing programs were extended because of Air Force changes in the B-2 requirements and various technical problems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA347279
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office