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Criteria Needed for U.S. Missile Defense System to Be Declared Operational, GAO Says
The U.S. Defense Department needs to prepare criteria to determine when its ballistic missile defense system can be declared operational, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released yesterday (see GSN, April 19). “DOD has not established formal criteria for declaring that limited defensive operations or subsequent blocks of capability are operational or completed planning for security, training and personnel,” the report states. “DOD has not done this because it is developing BMDS in a unique way and BMDS is exempted from traditional requirements guidance.” However, lack of such a system would leave the defense secretary without the ability to fairly assess preparations for missile defense operations and without the “transparent basis for declaring BMDS operational,” according to the report. “Without adequate planning, clear criteria, and identification of responsibility for ensuring necessary actions have been completed, it may be difficult for DOD to identify and prioritize actions, assure itself or Congress that the necessary pieces are in place before declaring the system operational, and determine whether the return on its significant development investment in BMDS can be realized,” it states. The Pentagon said it “concurred or partially concurred” with the GAO findings, but made no pledge of corrective action, the report states. The Government Accountability Office recommended that Congress require the Defense Department to develop a comprehensive plan for the program that includes operational criteria (U.S. Government Accountability Office release, June 1).
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