Military Space Programs

Opportunities to Reduce Missile Warning and Communication Satellites' Costs Gao ID: T-NSIAD-94-108 February 2, 1994

Originally designed to relay messages during global nuclear war, the costly Milstar satellite system could be scaled back to save more than $2 billion. Both Milstar and the Defense Support System (DSP), meant to detect ballistic missile launches, are products of the Cold War and need to be adapted to tactical warfare in regional conflicts. The Pentagon's decision to end the current DSP follow-on program and start anew provides an opportunity to fully consider the new tactical requirements. Plans to begin a new DSP replacement effort in fiscal year 1995 will require major management considerations, including requirements, cost effectiveness, and affordability. On Milstar, however, GAO believes that the Defense Department (DOD) may not have gone far enough to cut costs. GAO believes that by canceling some of its planned larger satellites and by initiating early development of a lower-cost system of smaller satellites, DOD can trim billions of dollars in program costs.



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