Reliability of Airlift Data Systems

GAO reviewed the reliability of data in the Air Mobility Command's (AMC) Military Airlift Integrated Report System (MAIRS) and the AMC History System (AHS). GAO noted that: (1) AMC provided data from a number of its information systems, including AHS and MAIRS; (2) representatives of AMC and of outside contractors hired by AMC told GAO that data derived from these systems are not reliable; (3) AMC is aware that AHS data is unreliable and incomplete and has taken steps to obtain the missing data it needs for various purposes; (4) it has continued to maintain the MAIRS, which was slated to be eliminated more than a year ago, as an alternate source of data; (5) it has engaged at least two outside contractors to compare data from AHS to MAIRS in an attempt to create a single source of the most complete airlift data; (6) neither AMC nor the contractors could state whether the alternate sources of data were any more reliable than AHS; (7) GAO analysis of AHS revealed a number of records containing questionable information; (8) data in AHS comes from the Global Decision Support System (GDSS), which is the worldwide command and control system for strategic airlift and air refueling during peacetime, contingencies, and war; and (9) GAO has not specifically reviewed the GDSS system, but is concerned that the data in this system may also be unreliable. GAO asked DOD to respond to a number of specific questions regarding data on airlift operations.