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Open Recommendations

Army Modernization: Air and Missile Defense Efforts Would Benefit from Applying Leading Practices [Reissued with revisions on Jun. 18, 2025]
GAO-25-107491
Jun 18, 2025
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Integrated Battle Command System program assesses the practicality, benefits, and affordability of implementing a digital twin that incorporates both software and hardware. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increments 1, 2, and 3 efforts—Sgt. Stout, Directed Energy, and Next Generation Short Range Interceptor, respectively—assess the practicality, benefits, and affordability of implementing modern design tools, including digital twinning and digital threads. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that all variants of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability effort—to include the development of subsystems for Increment 2 as well as the High Energy Laser and High-Power Microwave efforts—assess the practicality, benefits, and affordability of implementing modern design tools, including digital twinning and digital threads. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor effort assesses the practicality, affordability, and benefits, of implementing modern design tools, including digital twinning and digital threads. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increments 4 and 5, which incorporates new vehicle platforms, follows an iterative product development approach. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that development of the new missile for the Indirect Fire Protection Capability follows an iterative product development approach. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Defense Production Act: Information Sharing Needed to Improve Use of Authorities
GAO-25-107688
Jun 12, 2025
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The DPA government-wide coordinator, currently FEMA's Administrator, should work with relevant officials from the federal agencies using DPA Title III authorities to collect and periodically share lessons learned from awarding and managing Title III investments. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Weapon Systems Annual Assessment: DOD Leaders Should Ensure That Newer Programs Are Structured for Speed and Innovation
GAO-25-107569
Jun 11, 2025
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment should ensure that it takes steps as the defense acquisition executive during the review of relevant acquisition documentation to determine whether future major weapon acquisitions fully incorporate leading product development practices early enough to influence the acquisition approach. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the decision authorities within the department take steps during the review of relevant acquisition documentation to determine whether future major weapon acquisitions fully incorporate leading product development practices early enough to influence the acquisition approach. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure the decision authorities within the department take steps during the review of relevant acquisition documentation to determine whether future major weapon acquisitions fully incorporate leading product development practices early enough to influence the acquisition approach. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure the decision authorities within the department, including those related to the Space Force, take steps during the review of relevant acquisition documentation to determine whether future major weapon acquisitions fully incorporate leading product development practices early enough to influence the acquisition approach. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Army Modernization: Leading Practices Could Better Support Delivery of Artillery and Missiles
GAO-25-107263
Jun 05, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) program's planned assessment of the practicality, benefits, and affordability of implementing digital engineering includes consideration of the use of digital threads and digital twinning, and whether to incorporate these tools into the program. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that new efforts to meet requirements for a self-propelled howitzer capable of long-range fires incorporate leading practices for iterative product development, such as continuous evaluation of the business case, including the assessment of technology maturation. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program assesses the practicality, benefits, and affordability of implementing an iterative product development approach that includes digital engineering tools, such as digital threads and digital twinning, for missile development. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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