Defense Acquisitions

Challenges Associated With Implementing the Joint Tactical Radio System Gao ID: NSIAD-99-179 September 9, 1999

The Defense Department (DOD) is consolidating various service-unique radio acquisition programs into the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). Through this consolidation, DOD expected to acquire JTRS units to replace all of its current radio inventory, avionics upgrades, appropriate satellite terminals, and personal communications systems. Although total program costs have yet to be determined, DOD estimates that it could cost billions to replace about 200 types of radios. The JTRS' key objectives are to save money, improve performance, and deliver an interoperable communications system that allows joint and coalition forces to work together. This report evaluates the JTRS acquisition strategy and management plans. GAO (1) determines the status of the program, including DOD development plans, and (2) identifies challenges program officials will face in implementing the JTRS acquisition strategy.

GAO noted that: (1) the JTRS program is in a start-up stage; (2) DOD has directed the services to stop development of new radio-based programs but has granted a limited number of waivers to meet near-term requirements because JTRS products are not yet available; (3) DOD is developing a JTRS architecture and detailed refinements to its preliminary acquisition strategy; (4) DOD is scheduled to reach a major decision point in October 2000, when it is expected to approve the architecture and major revisions to the acquisition strategy; (5) the revised acquisition strategy is expected to define JTRS products, provide cost estimates for them, and allow development of an estimated total program cost; (6) following this, the services are expected to finalize their plans to replace existing radios with JTRS products; (7) DOD then expects the services to begin procuring JTRS products with JTRS Joint Program Office support; (8) DOD must successfully address three key challenges to achieve its program objectives; and (9) these challenges are: (a) completing a plan to develop key technologies not available from commercial sources or other DOD radio programs and integrating these new technologies into JTRS products; (b) defining an architecture that will be acceptable to commercial industry, be valid across a wide range of operating scenarios, and be useful to the services in developing plans to replace existing radio systems; and (c) defining interoperability requirements and establishing a strategy to procure and test products that meet these requirements.

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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