Air Force and Navy Radar Warning Receiver Programs

GAO discussed the Air Force and Navy Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) Programs to determine whether the Air Force and the Navy structured the programs for common-service use and practiced concurrent testing and production on these programs. Congress emphasized the need to avoid duplication in service programs, improve military readiness, and reduce costs by developing systems that could meet interservice needs; however, the Air Force and Navy continued their separate programs. Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to implement a joint ALR-74 program were not successful because the Navy and the Air Force disagreed on the best technology and precise nature of RWR. GAO recommended several actions to resolve the problems, specifically a commonality plan for the development of common receivers. GAO found that: (1) DOD made no effort to develop a plan for a common, near-term RWR or establish an advisory group to resolve technology disputes; (2) cost analyses did not consider the benefits of commonality; and (3) there were concurrent RWR programs; however, the Air Force and Navy often procured equipment that they could not deploy.