Missile Procurement: AMRAAM Not Ready for Full-Rate Production
NSIAD-89-201
Published: Sep 07, 1989. Publicly Released: Sep 19, 1989.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the status of the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) before the Secretary of Defense's decision to begin full production, focusing on whether: (1) operationally realistic tests demonstrated the missile's required performance; (2) the missile's design was complete and stable; and (3) the contractors demonstrated the ability to produce quality missiles at the required production rates.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should not authorize AMRAAM for full-rate production until realistic tests demonstrate that the missile has met its performance and reliability requirements, the missile design stabilizes, and the Air Force's production readiness reviews show that the contractors can produce quality missiles at the required rates. |
The Secretary of Defense agreed not to authorize AMRAAM for full-rate production until the contractors can produce quality missiles at the required rates. On April 30, 1992, the Under Secretary of Defense approved the Air Force request to enter full-rate production. GAO will followup on this under recommendations in the GAO July 30, 1992 report, NSIAD-92-243.
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Weapons systemsAir defense systemsAir Force procurementContract performanceFighter aircraftMissilesProduct evaluationTestingMilitary forcesAircraft acquisition program