Summary

In response to congressional concerns that threats to the U.S. Special Operations Command's aircraft are increasing, while funds available for electronic warfare are decreasing, this report reviews the Command's acquisition strategy for aircraft electronic warfare systems. GAO focuses on fixed-wing C-130 aircraft operated by the Command's Air Force component, the Air Force Special Operations Command. GAO discusses (1) the soundness of the Air Force Special Operations Command's electronic warfare acquisition strategy and (2) the extent to which the Air Force Special Operations Command is correcting deficiencies and maximizing commonality in its electronic warfare systems. GAO also identifies funding sources that could help the Air Force Special Operations Command further implement its electronic warfare acquisition strategy.

GAO noted that: (1) AFSOC's electronic warfare acquisition strategy is sound because it is based on eliminating operational and supportability deficiencies confirmed by an Air Force study, test reports, and maintenance records; (2) this evidence indicates that AFSOC's current electronic warfare systems are unable to defeat many current threat systems and have supportability problems; (3) AFSOC's acquisition strategy is to procure a mix of new systems and upgrades for older ones while maximizing commonality within its fleet of C-130s; (4) amidst budget constraints, USSOCOM is funding only portions of AFSOC's acquisition strategy due to other higher budget priorities, thereby hampering AFSOC's efforts to correct deficiencies and maximize commonality in electronic warfare systems; (5) for example, although USSOCOM is funding an AFSOC effort to make C-130 aircraft less susceptible to passive detection, enhance aircrews' situational awareness, and increase commonality, it has rejected other requests to fund effectiveness and commonality improvements to systems dealing with radar- and infrared-guided missiles; (6) as a result, in the foreseeable future, deficiencies will continue, and AFSOC will have to operate and maintain older and upgraded electronic warfare systems concurrently; (7) an opportunity exists, however, to help AFSOC implement its electronic warfare acquisition strategy; (8) since AFSOC's acquisition strategy was adopted, the Air Force has decided to begin a-$4.3 billion C-130 modernization program (C-130X program) for all C-130s; (9) some of the planned elements of this modernization are common with some of the elements of AFSOC's acquisition strategy that was to be funded by USSOCOM's Major force program-11 (MFP) funds; and (10) if, as required by the memoranda of agreement, the Air Force C-130 avionics modernization program funds these common elements, USSOCOM could redirect significant portions of its MFP-11 funding currently budgeted for AFSOC C-130 passive detection and situational awareness deficiencies to other unfunded portions of AFSOC's electronic warfare acquisition strategy.