Embedded Computers

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO determined whether the: (1) Navy's Update IV Program provided for adequate pre-procurement testing of a new avionics computer system for P-3 and P-7 aircraft; and (2) Navy adequately oversaw the development of the embedded system.

GAO found that the Navy: (1) originally planned to thoroughly test the avionics system before buying more than four; (2) citing program delays, revised those plans and postponed complete testing; (3) allowed the Update IV contractor to develop software before it completed and approved subsystem specifications; (4) had approved only 3 of 93 software specifications, and projected that it would not approve all specifications before September 1990; (5) Update IV contractor was over a year late in developing two software integration laboratories for testing the system's acoustic and nonacoustic capabilities; (6) planned to buy 28 systems before it successfully completed all testing; (7) planned to test one of the system's processors using a model that did not accurately represent the final version; (8) failed to conduct any detailed analysis to support its belief that any further delays would cause it to miss fixed-price contract option deadlines and increase contract costs; and (9) failed to consider the costs of buying 28 systems that may not work as intended and may require expensive modifications. GAO also found that Update IV Program oversight authorities: (1) focused on the use of computer technology; and (2) have not granted final approval of the Navy's acquisition and testing plans.

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.

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