ILSM: How Many GAO Reports Can Congress Ignore?

This post is by ILSM…

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This GAO report (warning PDF file) is entitled: Defense Acquisitions: Progress Made in Fielding Missile Defense, but Program Is Short of Meeting Goals.

The summary:

On the other hand, it is difficult to assess how well BMDS (Ballistic Missile Defense System) is progressing relative to the funds it has received because fewer assets were fielded than originally planned, the cost of the block increased by at least $1 billion, some flight tests were deferred, and the performance of the fielded system remains unverified.

The usual: cost overruns, delayed deliveries and stuff that does not perform. The Airbus tanker will be the same.

This is spending money for installing and maintaining defective, untested equipment missiles that don’t work launch on time like the space shuttle, the money will be spent twice in the future to fix the “unverified” performance. “Unverified” is code for not meeting classified performance because the classified performance is hidden to protect the waste.

Also making cost difficult to assess is a work planning method–referred to as “level of effort”–used by contractors that does not link time and money with what is produced. When not appropriately used, level-of-effort planning can obscure work accomplished, portending additional cost in the future.

Understated. Level of effort (LOE) is code for techie welfare. LOE divorces expenses or inputs from results. You use LOE when you either have no idea what you are going to get or you hire “kelly Girls” to sit around and collect money from the taxpayer. Good work if you can get it!! In LOE no one cares about “revenue product” of inputs marginal or otherwise, just the company’s revenue.

LOE in technology means there is no need that has a definite requirement nor any time table.

GAO has previously reported that MDA (Missile Defense Agency) has been given unprecedented funding and decision-making flexibility.

Enough funding and confidence artist’s flexibility to waste the money while preventing any effective oversight. Using level of effort all you get is “best effort”, like a kid going through college and failing every course and getting a job as rocket scientist. Do you expect it to work?

Performance of the fielded system is as yet not verifiable because too few tests have been conducted to validate the models and simulations that predict BMDS performance. Moreover, the tests that are done do not provide enough information for DOD’s independent test organization to fully assess the BMDS’ suitability and effectiveness.

The tests done are not fielding tests as implied by the terms “suitability and effectiveness” which are tests done to justify “type designated” production; which is what the taxpayers would have ordered, the tests done here are tests of technology and have no relation to intercepting missiles. But, the threat targets are missiles that do not exist, with WMD’s as existent as those in Baghdad in 2003.

This statement about “suitability and effectiveness” implies to me that GAO does not know what they are looking at or are covering up.

MDA has run a $200B con, and this is another way that national security must waste 4% of GDP.

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This post was by ILSM.