Critical Considerations in Developing Improved Capability To Identify Aircraft as Friend or Foe

Gao ID: C-MASAD-82-6 February 24, 1982

GAO reviewed the Department of Defense programs designed to improve U.S. capabilities to identify aircraft as friend or foe. These programs, for which Congress will be asked to provide funds, could potentially involve significant expenditures.

GAO found that the primary systems in use by the United States and some other forces in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are the Mark X and XII cooperative systems. U.S. capability to identify aircraft is limited. Consequently, missiles capable of attacking targets beyond visual range cannot be used to their full potential. Aircraft frequently have to close within visual range to positively identify air targets, and the launch aircraft are rendered more vulnerable to enemy fire. Better identification would permit relaxing restrictive rules of engagement which have been instituted to minimize the risks of mistakenly attacking friendly aircraft. Currently, there are plans to improve the Mark XII. Also under consideration is the development of the next generation identification system, the Mark XV. There are several matters to resolve, the principal one being the frequency band in which the Mark XV should operate. Other NATO countries have been unable to agree on a common frequency band. Besides the Mark XV, certain other technologies appear to have the potential of contributing to the overall improvement of U.S. identification capability. However, several of these technologies are in the early stages of development and have not been tested to determine their performance. The total investment in identification systems is difficult to calculate, because several are in early stages of development and cost are spread over numerous accounts.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Donald E. Day Team: General Accounting Office: Mission Analysis and Systems Acquisition Division Phone: (202) 275-8408


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