CommunityEditor
04-01-2008, 10:28 PM
WASHINGTON — Inefficient Pentagon management led to cost increases for key weapons programs that often fell short of production goals last year, government auditors said Monday.
In its sixth-annual report on selected weapons purchases, the Government Accountability Office found that procurement costs came in 26 percent above original estimates for 72 major weapons programs in 2007. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, also found that many programs were delayed or produced fewer weapons that initially planned.
The GAO blamed these problems on inefficient Pentagon practices, including changes in program requirements after weapons development had started, turnover in program management and the use of contractors and other outside personnel.
“Every dollar spent inefficiently in developing and procuring weapons systems is less money available for many other internal and external budget priorities,” the report says.
Planned Pentagon investment in new weapons systems doubled to $1.6 trillion in 2007 from $790 billion in 2000, hitting its highest level in two decades, the GAO said. The Defense Department expects to invest about $900 billion in weapons development and procurement over the next five years, including $335 billion in new weapons systems.
The 198-page report highlighted cost increases at high-profile programs, including:
* The Joint Strike Fighter, a fighter jet being developed by Lockheed Martin Corp., which will cost $25.9 billion at completion. That’s up 36 percent from an initial target price of $19 billion.
* The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, an amphibious armored carrier developed by General Dynamics Corp. for the Marines. The program will cost $1.3 billion at completion, up 80 percent from an original target of $712.1 million.
* Future Combat Systems, a massive Army modernization effort being led by Boeing Co. that will use futuristic communications technology to link manned and unmanned aircraft and vehicles in real time. The program will cost $20.9 billion at completion, up 40 percent from the original $14.9 billion target.
The annual GAO study will go to a number of key congressional committees, including the Armed Services Committees and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittees in the Senate and House.
Article: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_pentagon_inefficiencies_033108/
Report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08467sp.pdf
In its sixth-annual report on selected weapons purchases, the Government Accountability Office found that procurement costs came in 26 percent above original estimates for 72 major weapons programs in 2007. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, also found that many programs were delayed or produced fewer weapons that initially planned.
The GAO blamed these problems on inefficient Pentagon practices, including changes in program requirements after weapons development had started, turnover in program management and the use of contractors and other outside personnel.
“Every dollar spent inefficiently in developing and procuring weapons systems is less money available for many other internal and external budget priorities,” the report says.
Planned Pentagon investment in new weapons systems doubled to $1.6 trillion in 2007 from $790 billion in 2000, hitting its highest level in two decades, the GAO said. The Defense Department expects to invest about $900 billion in weapons development and procurement over the next five years, including $335 billion in new weapons systems.
The 198-page report highlighted cost increases at high-profile programs, including:
* The Joint Strike Fighter, a fighter jet being developed by Lockheed Martin Corp., which will cost $25.9 billion at completion. That’s up 36 percent from an initial target price of $19 billion.
* The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, an amphibious armored carrier developed by General Dynamics Corp. for the Marines. The program will cost $1.3 billion at completion, up 80 percent from an original target of $712.1 million.
* Future Combat Systems, a massive Army modernization effort being led by Boeing Co. that will use futuristic communications technology to link manned and unmanned aircraft and vehicles in real time. The program will cost $20.9 billion at completion, up 40 percent from the original $14.9 billion target.
The annual GAO study will go to a number of key congressional committees, including the Armed Services Committees and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittees in the Senate and House.
Article: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_pentagon_inefficiencies_033108/
Report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08467sp.pdf