GAO issues recommendation for DoD on ballistic missile defense system

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued the Department of Defense (DoD) a recommendation regarding its annual Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) flight test plan.

The GAO said the DOD’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Director should ensure an independent assessment of the agency’s process for developing and executing its annual BMDS flight test plan. The agency completing two of seven planned flight tests in FY 2019. And a third of its planned flight tests have been completed each year between FYs 2010-2019.

Per the GAO, the agency cannot fully evaluate weapon performance, conduct simulations, or ensure that it is spending money effectively without the tests.

MDA received $152 billion to develop the BMDS from 2002 through 2018 and requested $47 billion from fiscal year 2019 through fiscal year 2023, officials said. The BMDS consists of diverse and highly complex land, sea and space-based systems and assets located across the globe.

The GAO said its analysis involved reviewing the planned fiscal year 2019 baselines, in addition to test plans since 2010 and other program documentation – assessing them against program and baseline reviews.

GAO also interviewed MDA and DoD personnel, including the office of the Director, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and the BMDS Operational Test Agency, among others.