Apache Longbow Helicopter

Fire Control Radar Not Ready for Multiyear Procurement Gao ID: NSIAD-98-11 November 17, 1997

The Army plans to award a multiyear contract for the Apache Longbow helicopter's fire control radar in December 1997. The law requires that the design of a system be stable before a multiyear contract is awarded. The radar's transmitter, a critical component, is being redesigned. Moreover, DOD regulations require that qualification tests and evaluations be completed before a decision is made on full-rate production. The original transmitter may not complete qualification testing and the redesigned transmitter's performance will not be demonstrated before the contract is awarded. In a January 1997 letter to DOD, GAO raised concerns about the stability of the transmitter's design and concluded that the radar would not be ready for the planned multiyear procurement. Although this report reaffirms that conclusion, the Army still plans to proceed with the multiyear contract. GAO believes that award of the contract should be delayed until all statutory and regulatory requirements are met.

GAO found that: (1) the award of a multiyear contract for the Apache Longbow fire control radar is inappropriate until the Army has completed development of the radar transmitter's design and tests to demonstrate its performance; (2) under 10 U.S.C. 2306(b), before awarding a multiyear contract, the design of the system should be stable; however, the radar's transmitter, a key component, is being redesigned; (3) the original transmitter may not complete qualification testing and the redesigned transmitter's performance will not be demonstrated before the contract is awarded; (4) in a previous report, GAO expressed concern about the stability of the transmitter's design and concluded that the radar would not be ready for the planned multiyear procurement; and (5) however, the Army still plans to proceed with the multiyear contract.

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.

Director: Team: Phone:


The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.