Summary
Since the mid-1990s, the Navy and Marine Corps have studied ways to better protect landing forces. As new operational concepts evolved, the Marine Corps identified requirements for naval surface fire support and the Navy began developing two systems to meet these needs--the Extended Range Munition for existing classes of ships and the future Zumwalt class destroyer. GAO was asked to address (1) whether requirements for fire support have been established and (2) the Navy's progress on the Extended Range Munition, Zumwalt class destroyer, and follow-on systems. GAO also analyzed whether these Navy systems fulfill the requirements and whether gaps remain. To address these objectives GAO analyzed key documents on requirements and programs and held discussions with officials from the Navy and Marine Corps as well as other interested organizations.
In December 2005, more than a decade after the Navy and Marine Corps began to formulate requirements, agreement was reached on the capabilities needed for naval surface fire support. However, quantifiable measures are still lacking for volume of fire--the delivery of a large quantity of munitions simultaneously or over a period of time to suppress or destroy a target. Until further quantifiable requirements are set for volume of fire, it is difficult to assess whether additional investment is necessary or the form it should take. The Navy's Extended Range Munition and Zumwalt class destroyer have cost more, taken longer to develop and field than anticipated, and will deliver fewer capabilities than originally promised. Largely due to technical challenges, the Extended Range Munition is expected to exceed the original cost estimate for development by 550 percent, and the Navy has delayed delivery of initial capability by 11 years. The munition's path for development and fielding remains uncertain as key technologies and munition design have not been adequately demonstrated. The Office of the Secretary of Defense recently assumed oversight of the program, and while a comprehensive review has not yet been held, there are ongoing studies that could assist such a review. The Navy has reduced Zumwalt class land attack munitions by 50 percent and cut ship quantities from 32 to 7. The primary reason for reduced capabilities are cost pressures created by the Navy's original concept of revolutionary performance at an unrealistically low cost. The Navy plans to begin construction of the first two ships in the Zumwalt class in fiscal year 2008. The recent study of future fire support needs approved by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council identifies four capability gaps: command and control of fire support; engaging moving targets in poor weather; engaging targets when collateral damage is a concern; and engaging targets that require a large volume of fire. The analysis that forms the basis of the joint study contends that while the Extended Range Munition and Zumwalt class destroyer offer significant capabilities in some scenarios, they do not provide enough capability to meet all fire support needs. The Navy, through its surface warfare directorate, has begun analyzing the three engagement gaps, but the Navy has not chosen an organization to analyze the gap in command and control, which is essential for target assignment and information. Any attempts to accept the risks or invest in programs to fill remaining gaps should also involve the expeditionary warfare directorate as the Marine Corps representative. The expeditionary warfare directorate does not have a formal role in developing requirements, determining capabilities, and managing resources for systems that provide naval surface fire support.
Recommendations
Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change
from "In process" to "Implemented" or "Not implemented" based on our follow up work.
Director:
Team:
Phone:
Paul L. Francis
Government Accountability Office: Acquisition and Sourcing Management
(202) 512-2811
Recommendations for Executive Action
Recommendation: To improve the Department's efforts to address naval surface fire support needs and to determine the desired effects for volume of fire, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Navy and Marine Corps to define quantitative requirements and operational concepts on use of volume fires, especially when using precision weapons for suppression or simultaneous strikes. This analysis should be used to 1) inform and update the non-nuclear ordnance requirements process used to determine procurement objectives for these munitions and 2) clarify the capability gap for volume fires as identified in the Initial Capabilities Document for Joint Fires in Support of Expeditionary Operations in the Littorals.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: In process
Comments: According to the liaison at the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Defense (DODIG), our recommendation in GAO-07-115 calling for a clarification of the requirements and needs of the Marine Corps for naval surface fire support, especially in regards to precision weapons, was closed by DOD with no follow up activities reported. However, in speaking with representatives of the Navy's Surface Warfare Division (N86) and Expeditionary Warfare Division (N85)-the two offices in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations key to developing capabilities for naval surface fire support-there are ongoing discussions on improvements to naval surface fire support requirements and concepts of operations. N85 in particular is working to complete these improvements with the intention of updating the Navy's Non-nuclear Ordinance Requirements process as recommended in our report. While work is currently being performed no formal documentation has been released.
Recommendation: To improve the Department's efforts to address naval surface fire support needs and in order to ensure that the systems providing naval surface fire support are aligned with the requirements and operating concepts of the forces they assist, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Navy to provide the Chief of Naval Operations's Expeditionary Warfare Division, as the division charged with establishing capabilities and requirements for naval surface fire support and liaison to the Marine Corps, a formal role in developing requirements, determining capabilities, and managing resources for Navy systems responsible for providing naval surface fire support.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Implemented
Comments: The Navy has taken actions to meet our recommendation in GAO-07-115 on ensuring that naval surface fire support systems meet the needs of the warfighter by providing the Navy's Expeditionary Warfare Division with a more formal role in their development. The Navy has reviewed existing roles and guidance and established a process by which Expeditionary Warfare will review relevant systems being developed and funded by the Surface Warfare Division. According to Jack Muerdler, an official in Surface Warfare, this represents a more formalized role than has existed in the past and has increased communication between the two divisions as well as between the Navy and Marine Corps, whose interests are often represented by Expeditionary Warfare.
Recommendation: To improve the Department's efforts to address naval surface fire support needs and in light of the changes to the schedule, budget requirements, and design of the Extended Range Munition program, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, as the program's milestone decision authority, conduct a comprehensive review of the program to validate progress and acquisition plans that will incorporate results from current and planned program studies and direct changes as necessary.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Implemented
Comments: In response to our recommendation in GAO-07-115, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has begun a comprehensive review of the Extended Range Munition (ERM) program. According to the office of Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics in OSD, it is currently reviewing the Acquisition Strategy and Acquisition Program Baseline for ERM and has taken part in a Test and Evaluation Integrated Product Team meeting which conducted a comprehensive review of the program's Test and Evaluation Master Plan. OSD will also review the Systems Engineering Plan when it is released by the ERM program office. The program is also reporting to OSD via monthly Defense Acquisition Executive Summary reports and annual Selected Acquisition reports.
Recommendation: To improve the Department's efforts to address naval surface fire support needs and given the importance of command and control in coordinating fire support, especially in the complex environment imposed by joint operations in the littorals, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Navy to designate the appropriate organization for managing an analysis of alternatives related to this gap and ensure that the results of this analysis are coordinated with solutions for identified engagement gaps.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Implemented
Comments: At the time of our report, GAO-07-115, the Navy planned to complete an analysis of alternatives (AOA) on systems to close a number of gaps in naval surface fire support. We recommended that the Navy designate an appropriate organization for the AOA of command and control systems to ensure coordination between fire control systems and weapon platforms. Although the Navy did not fund and complete an analysis of alternatives for command and control for naval surface fire support of joint operations in the littorals, the Department intends to mitigate the gap in command and control through other means. The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence was designated as the appropriate party to coordinate this effort and, working with the office of the Chief of Naval Operations for Communication Networks (N6), designated a number of systems as suitable for coordination of joint fires. According to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) this could include the use of Global Command and Control, Network Enabled Command and Control, and the Distributed Common Ground/Surface System. John Christian of OSD stated that these systems have been approved for use in naval surface fire support applications by the Program Analysis and Evaluation branch of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
