Defense Acquisitions: Key Decisions to Be Made on Future Combat System

Abstract

The Future Combat System (FCS) is central to Army transformation efforts, comprising 14 integrated weapon systems and an advanced information network. In previous work, GAO found that the elements of a sound business case firm requirements, mature technologies, a knowledge-based acquisition strategy, a realistic cost estimate, and sufficient funding were not present. As a result, FCS is considered high risk and in need of special oversight and review. Congress has mandated that the Department of Defense (DOD) decide in early 2009 whether FCS should continue. GAO is required to review the program annually. In this report, GAO analyzes FCS development, including its requirements definition; status of critical technologies, software development, and complementary programs; soundness of its acquisition strategy related to design, production and spin-out of capabilities to current forces; and reasonableness of costs and sufficiency of funding.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2007
Accession Number
ADA464362

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Aircrafts
  • Congress
  • Data Compression
  • Ground Vehicles
  • Military Acquisition
  • Operating Systems
  • Radio Equipment
  • Reliability
  • Software Development
  • Target Recognition
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Ground Vehicles
  • Unmanned Vehicles

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Life Cycle Cost Analysis