Global Positioning System: Production should be Limited Until ReceiverReliability Problems are Resolved

摘要

Delays in completing operational testing as a result of lingering receiver setreliability problems and reevaluation of program requirements have caused DoD to postpone the GPS receiver set full-rate production decision until Sept. 1991. DoD postponed the decision to allow time for (1) the additional testing needed to verify receiver set reliability, (2) reevaluating the quantities of receiver sets needed in light of the planned draw down of U.S. military forces, and (3) reevaluating receiver performance requirements to determine if commercially produced GPS receiver sets could be used to satisfy some portion of the total requirement. GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense limit procurement of GPS to 237 receiver sets until operational testing has demonstrated that GPS receiver sets have met their reliability objectives. The 237 sets is the minimum quantity the government can order under the current contract and is sufficient to maintain a production base.