DEFENSE ACQUISITIONS: Reduced Operational Effectiveness of Joint Standoff Weapon

摘要

This report examines the Navy's and the Air Force's development of the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). JSOW is an air-to-ground missile expected to provide improved capabilities to hit targets from greater distances than many current weapons. JSOW has three warhead variants-wide area, antiarmor, and unitary. Current plans call for procuring a total of 19,000 missiles at an estimated production cost of $5 billion. As requested, we reviewed JSOW to determine whether (1) the missile will provide capabilities originally intended and (2) cost and operational effectiveness analyses continue to support the program's procurement plans.