Ballistic Missile Defense

The $4.9 billion allocated by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) for fiscal years 1985-93 for developing lasers and particle beams was spent primarily on five programs--the space-based chemical laser; the ground-based laser; the space-based neutron particle beam; the acquisition, tracking, and pointing subsystems; and nuclear directed energy concepts. The development of these technologies has not advanced as quickly as expected. SDIO estimates that over four years, $777 million will be needed to complete the work needed for a decision on whether to fund system-level demonstrations for several of the programs. SDIO has requested only $103 million for all directed energy work in fiscal year 1994, suggesting that it may take longer than four years to complete that work. The free electron laser was transferred to the Army, which did not provide any funding for it in fiscal year 1994.

GAO found that: (1) the $4.9 billion allocated by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO), the predecessor organization of BMDO, for fiscal years 1985 through 1993, for developing directed energy weapons technology was spent on the space-based chemical laser, ground-based laser, and space-based neutral particle beam programs; (2) SDIO fabricated and tested the Alpha laser beam generator, the 4-meter primary mirror, and the beam control system; (3) in December 1990, SDIO decided that the free electron laser program would be reoriented toward demonstrating the feasibility of a space-based weapon, but it has completed only one of the five program objectives; (4) SDIO accomplished four of the eight program objectives for the space-based neutral particle beam; (5) SDIO met the 1984 plan objectives for developing pointing and tracking technology for directed energy weapons, but did not meet the objectives for developing long-range fine tracking and fire control software; and (6) SDIO planned to pursue the development of nuclear-directed energy technology to provide the United States with better knowledge of potential Soviet capabilities and the basis for a ground-based or pop-up nuclear-directed energy capability.

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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