The Government Accountability Office found that U.S. weapon procurement initiatives often face cost and scheduling challenges and that the Defense Department lacks business cases for many of these programs.
GAO said Tuesday it identified collaborative strategies for DoD and Congress to improve the outcomes of the department’s weapon acquisition efforts.
Decision-makers should examine if a new program embodies desirable principles before they approve a budget, according to GAO.
The agency also recommended that Congress and DoD collaborate to identify potential risks to weapon acquisition initiatives and to determine how they can align program and funding decisions.
GAO also urged the department to separate technology and product development efforts, as well as build up its workforce of program managers and system engineers.
