Mission Effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier II Could Be Improved if Actions Are Taken Now

GAO reviewed the AV-8B Harrier II program to provide Congress with a status report on its development. The AV-8B Harrier II is a light attack aircraft with vertical and short-takeoff and landing capability being developed by the Navy to provide close air support for Marine Corps amphibian forces. The AV-8B is designed to be a substantially improved version of the AV-8A aircraft currently used by the Marine Corps.

GAO stated that potential maintenance personnel shortages, shipboard space constraints, limited repair capabilities, and inadequate ground-support equipment could adversely affect the ability of the AV-8B to perform its mission. The Navy currently plans to purchase AV-8A trainer aircraft to use in training AV-8B pilots. Such a move was proposed in order to cut costs. However, GAO found that, due to changes in production cost, discontinuation of AV-8A production, major aircraft differences, and the ineffectiveness of the AV-8A as a trainer for AV-8B pilots, a better choice may be to develop a training model of the AV-8B. GAO also found that opportunities exist to improve the aircraft's survivability. Major improvements could include reducing the planes vulnerability to enemy ordnance, adding fire or explosion suppression systems, and reducing the engine's infrared signature. GAO concluded by saying that these survivability improvements could be made, but at the expense of increased program cost and reduced aircraft performance.

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: John Landicho Team: General Accounting Office: Mission Analysis and Systems Acquisition Division Phone: (202) 275-6504