Space Acquisitions

DOD Faces Challenges in Fully Realizing Benefits of Satellite Acquisition Improvements

This report discusses the difficulties faced by the US Department of Defense (DOD) in optimizing space acquisition programs. These programs cost billions and have experienced cost and schedule overruns in the past. The speaker argues that in today's fiscally constrained environment, DOD must find ways to keep its new major space acquisitions on track but that significant barriers hinder the optimization of these investments. This testimony focuses on (1) the current status of space system acquisitions; (2) results of GAO’s space-related reviews in 2011/12; (3) actions taken to address DOD space acquisition problems; and (4) remaining challenges that stand in the way of DOD fully realizing the benefits of satellite acquisition improvements.

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