The Department of Defense's Efforts To Achieve Interoperability

GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to achieve a greater degree of interoperability for command, control, and communication systems, specifically: (1) the extent to which DOD has identified interoperability problems recognized during recent training exercises and past operations; (2) the nature of the impediments preventing interoperability and DOD ability to overcome them; and (3) the likelihood that the Joint Tactical Command, Control, and Communications Agency will achieve a significantly greater degree of interoperability among the military services. GAO found that: (1) the services currently do not have interoperable communications; (2) in the past, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines were unable to communicate effectively with one another during joint operations and exercises because they had different communications equipment; (3) encryption equipment and satellite terminals vary among the services; and (4) the DOD decentralized management structure, lack of clearly defined joint requirements, and absence of an effective central enforcement authority increase these problems. GAO held that the services need to: (1) develop joint requirements; (2) cooperate with each other despite conflicts with traditional practices; and (3) establish a strong, central decision-making authority. The Joint Tactical Command, Control, and Communications Agency has made efforts to improve interoperability, but it is too early to determine the extent to which these efforts will be successful.