The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending the Department of Defense upgrade Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) units’ ability to operate and maintain U.S.-purchased equipment.
GAO officials said House Report 114-537 included a provision for the agency to review the ANDSF’s capability and capacity to operate and sustain U.S.-purchased weapon systems and equipment.
To conduct the work, GAO officials said they analyzed DOD and NATO reports and documents, examined three critical equipment types, and interviewed DOD officials in the United States and Afghanistan.
As an example, the GAO said the DOD provided detailed information about the Air Force’s ability to operate and maintain MD-530 helicopters and the Special Security Forces’ ability to operate and maintain Mobile Strike Force Vehicles. However, the DOD had limited information about how conventional forces operate and maintain radios and Mobile Strike Force Vehicles.
The GAO noted the DOD’s lack of reliable information on conventional forces’ equipment operations and maintenance abilities adds to the uncertainty and risk in assessing the progress of DOD efforts in Afghanistan.
The DOD has initiatives to address some ANDSF capability gaps, such as country-wide vehicle maintenance and training effort, the GAO learned but added the DOD reports it does not expect the ANDSF to develop and sustain independent capabilities in some areas, such as logistics, for several years.