Summary

The Army decided in 1995 to move Army aviation testing from Edwards Air Force Base, California, to Fort Rucker, Alabama. The Army also decided to retain Yuma Proving Ground. This decision represented a shift from earlier Army studies, which had recommended consolidating all Army aviation testing at Yuma. GAO's analysis confirmed the Army's position that a dual-site consolidation involving Fort Rucker and Yuma provided the greatest short-terms savings to the Army and offered significant long-term savings. A single-site consolidation at Yuma also offers significant long-term savings and, according to Army officials, a better environment for future testing. On the other hand, the Defense Department (DOD) has raised questions about whether either option would be the best choice from a DOD-wide perspective. However, the services and DOD have not agreed on how best to downsize and consolidate testing, even though Congress has encouraged them to do so. Given this situation, DOD has an opportunity to explore options with a longer-term DOD-wide perspective. This will require strong commitment and leadership on the part of top DOD officials.

GAO found that: (1) the Army failed to fully account for savings from consolidating its aviation testing activities; (2) consolidation at Fort Rucker and Yuma Proving Ground will result in the greatest short-term and significant long-term savings; (3) single-site consolidation at Yuma will result in the greatest long-term savings and an optimum testing environment for future testing; (4) the Department of Defense (DOD) and the services have not reached consensus about how best to consolidate and downsize test activities; (5) excess aviation testing capacity within DOD signals that consolidation is necessary to reduce this excess; and (6) the Secretary of Defense will need stronger commitment and leadership to evaluate whether these options or other options will serve DOD best.