Battlefield Automation

Army Land Warrior Program Acquisition Strategy May Be Too Ambitious Gao ID: NSIAD-96-190 September 11, 1996

The Army is attempting to automate several battlefield functions through the creation of a vast network of computers, sensors, and communications systems that would provide a simultaneous picture of the battlefield from soldier to commander. Included in this effort is the Army's Land Warrior soldier system, which is estimated to cost upwards of $1.4 billion. Under the Land Warrior Soldier program, the Army is developing a computer/radio, software, integrated headgear (including an imaging display), weapon subsystem, and protective clothing and equipment that will outfit the individual soldier. This report (1) determines the status of various technology and human factor problems associated with system development, (2) evaluates the acquisition strategy for the Land Warrior system, and (3) assesses plans to integrate the system with the "digital battlefield."

GAO found that: (1) the Army has not adequately addressed several technical and human factor problems identified during system development, which include the Land Warrior's failure to perform as well as standard-equipped soldiers, cognitive and physical soldier overload, adverse psychological effects on soldiers, the equipment's electromagnetic signature emission and cumbersome configuration, other health and safety issues, the lack of prototypes for early operational experimentation tests, and overlaps in development and operational testing; (2) the Army estimates that program procurement costs could exceed $1.4 billion; (3) the Army has incorrectly classified the program and, therefore, it does not receive appropriate management oversight; (4) although the Army has accelerated production and deployment, it has not yet determined how many Land Warrior systems will be needed for each unit equipped, which soldiers should receive Land Warrior equipment, or what equipment each soldier should carry; (5) the Army has not demonstrated that the Land Warrior equipment can integrate into the digital battlefield because prototypes have not been available for testing; (6) the Army plans to field Land Warrior systems before other digital battlefield hardware and software components have been proven effective; and (7) the Army is working on synchronizing the fielding of Land Warrior applications with other digital battlefield elements.

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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