Weapons of Mass Destruction

In 1991, Congress authorized the Defense Department (DOD) to establish a Cooperative Threat Reduction program to help the former Soviet Union destroy nuclear, chemical, and other weapons; transport and store these weapons in connection with their destruction; and prevent their proliferation. So far, DOD has more than $1 billion in spending authority for the program. This report examines the program's (1) progress in implementing projects and obligating funds, (2) overall planning, (3) potential impact, and (4) use of funds for nonpriority objectives.

GAO found that: (1) DOD plans to obligate 81 percent of CTR funds for 36 projects that focus primarily on three CTR priority objectives; (2) CTR obligations and spending have been slowed by the need to establish agreements with new Soviet republics and complexities caused by authorizing legislation; (3) DOD plans to allocate $400 million for CTR projects in fiscal year 1995 and to request $400 million annually for future CTR projects; (4) the CTR budget will top $3 billion dollars if all planned CTR spending is approved; (5) CTR officials have not established a long-term planning process, prepared a multiyear plan and requirement-based funding profile, or implemented an audit and examination process; (6) the program's long-term impact is unclear and appears to vary widely from project to project; (7) CTR priority objectives include nuclear warhead dismantlement, safety and security, strategic delivery vehicles, chemical weapons, and nonproliferation; and (8) DOD plans to spend $153 million on nonpriority CTR objectives and will emphasize defense conversion over nonproliferation in deciding future CTR project funding despite its uncertain prospects for success.

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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