The latest General Accounting Office study on the Army’s massive modernization program finds — surprise — that there are ‘development risks’ involved in the the communications components. Since Future Combat Systems, or FCS, will network manned and unmanned vehicles and weapons, if the communications don’t work, the system is a dud.
Fair enough. The larger problem is whether the constant demand for accounting and oversight that drives GAO and its congressional masters is making it harder for the US to maintain technological excellence in military space. To be risk-free, a program would need to depend on the technologies of the 1980s. The hard question is whether failure and waste are unavoidable companions when making better weapons or technical intelligence systems.
The answer to that question is yes, failure and waste are inevitable and maybe even necessary for real innovation. Corona, the original spy satellite, failed in its first five launches. The first 13 missions were failures and produced no pictures. The expense was enormous — if you adjust for inflation, the total program cost (over 12 years) may have been $40 billion. Of all Corona missions, only 70% were successful. But overall, Corona was an immense success. This sounds like an apology for waste, fraud and abuse, but it’s actually a suggestion that it might be worth tilting the balance in how the US thinks about space back towards risk taking and away from accounting.
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This is a classic story of blameing the watch dog for catching the crooks.
The GAO is the agency who brings to light of day the misdeeds of both the Generals/Admirals and the Military Industrial complex.
What the above story doesn’t mention is the revolving door of politicians, DoD beaucrates and Uniformed Military Officers who trade in their Government jobs for jobs with the same contractors with whom they had delt with as “Public Officials”.
If it were not for the GAO Boeing would have a 767 Tanker Lease deal and it share holders $23 Billion of taxpayers money in the form of excess profit in their pockets. The U.S. would still be building $2 Billion B-2 Bombers. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
As for the FCS and it snibbling sibling the Army’s JTRS, both of with are under contract suspension as I write this the GAO has busted two of the more egregious misuse of precious DoD funds sine well the Comache Program.
The issue here clearly is “who is driving the ship” contractors or the Uniformed Military. So far it been industry. The Military don’t have a clue.
The FCS has gone from a $30 Billion project to a $150 Billion give away, last published estimate and nothing has happened. This spring the Army was even questioning if the had the right contractors for the project (Boeing and SAIC)they are still not sure.
The DoD’s JTRS contract with Harris Corp. has gone from being a technological joke to a real problem.
In Iraq the uberexpensive AN/PRC/119B Field radio was found not to work in Baghdad or Fallugah, both urban enviroments. This is bad news for U.S. troops on the ground.
What does work is the “Made in China” walkie talkies that can be purchased at Wal-Mart in packs of two for $19.95plus tax, of course the bad guys also know this.
For a U.S. Battalion Commander to receive data and photos he/she has to have their HQ stop set up and antenna garden and find a satellite in order to recieve this data from his/her command.
At the same time all over America “Pre-Teen Mall Rats” can send and recieve, voice, video, text, exchange photos, IMS, E-Mail, and play games with their friends all while on the move. All this on a G-3 mobile phone, for the cost a two year service contract.
Me thinks there is a problem here and so does the GAO.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
“Stewart’s Platoon”
There is no arguing against the waste and sweetheart deals that go on; those ppl. should be shamed out of the defense industry.
Along the lines of developing new technoliges, though I dont think SBR is part of FCS, I dont think any private companies out there are going to be developing any sattelite constellations with the ability to locate and track moving targets all over the world. So if the military wants this, they will have to pay for its devlopement.
The example above makes me think of the missle defense program. Presently it is not looking very impressive, but just imagine where it could be in 10–15 years. Compare rocket/missle technology in the 60s to today. What if the change is just as dramatic? What if the US so perfects it that we could render enemy cruise missles/mortars/rpg’s ineffective (ineffective might be going too far but you get the point)? Maybe it is a pipe dream, but that has been said about a lot of things that are around today.
There is a difference between money that is “wasted” on science, expermients, and new technologies and money that is (truly) wasted by lining someone’s pockets.
Rutty:“I dont think any private companies out there are going to be developing any sattelite constellations with the ability to locate and track moving targets all over the world“
Look at FedX, UPS, Shipping companies, commercial trucking, taxi cabs.….
Skinner,
I agree with the majority of your post but the comment about antenna farms and mall rats strikes me as rather specious. Cell phones are the tip of a huge telecom infrastructure which an adversary is unlikely to leave us the keys to. Comparing it to milsatcom is apples and oranges, at best. I’d like to know what you’re getting at with the comment, too; is there a better way of getting long-haul comm at the sharp end of the stick which can still satisf y the reliability and security requirements?
James: “Look at FedX, UPS, Shipping companies, commercial trucking, taxi cabs.….“
This kind of tracking is done with transceivers placed in the truck, airplane, etc… It is not a STAP/DPCA based GMTI system as would be needed when tracking enemy movements. Unless, of course, our enemies placed transcievers in their equipment for us.