Naval Aviation

Equipment limitations during Operation Desert Storm made it hard for Navy and Marine Corps aircrews to locate, identify, and attack targets precisely during combat; to identify unknown aircraft beyond visual range; and to defend against some antiaircraft threats. The military sought to minimize aircraft losses due to these limitations by flying airplanes at higher altitudes, a move that sacrificed bombing accuracy. If fewer U.S. aircraft had been on hand, the capabilities of individual aircraft would have been more important. Also, if the Iraqis had undertaken greater offensive action, increased U.S. bomber accuracy and more effective aircraft defense systems would have been critical. The equipment limitations that air crews had to work around were caused by trade-offs linked to the expense, the cost growth, and the time associated with developing and fielding new weapons systems. Navy officials were aware of most aircraft limitations before the war and had taken steps to overcome them.

GAO found that: (1) only one-third of the Navy's and Marine Corps' F/A-18 fighter aircraft had forward-looking infrared targeting systems; (2) the targeting systems lacked built-in laser target designators which prevented the pilots from using precision-guided munitions; (3) none of the Marine Corps' principal close-air support aircraft had forward-looking infrared targeting systems that would have enabled crews to better locate, identify, and attack targets; (4) the Navy and Marine Corps' F-14 and F/A-18 aircraft lacked systems to differentiate enemy aircraft from friendly aircraft beyond visual range; (5) some Navy and Marine Corps aircraft lacked adequate warning and defensive countermeasure systems to effectively protect their crews from approaching antiaircraft missiles; and (6) Navy aviation officials were aware of most equipment limitations before Desert Storm and initiated some actions to resolve them.