Summary

GAO reviewed whether the Navy's and the Air Force's selection, authorization, and purchase of aircraft ground support equipment was properly correlated with actual needs.

GAO noted that: (1) future savings in aircraft program costs can be realized by improvements in determining needs for aircraft ground support equipment; (2) the F-4 program costs could have been significantly reduced had both military services performed adequate reviews of equipment allowances and utilization of equipment in the field; (3) this position is based in GAO's observation of numerous instances where: (a) equipment was on hand which was not needed; (b) available and less expensive substitute equipment could have been used; and (c) equipment on hand was unsatisfactory for maintenance requirements; (4) if the Navy and the Air Force had effectively coordinated their needs in the selection of this type of equipment, the cost of the F-4 aircraft program could have been reduced by over $1.2 million; (5) in addition, GAO believes that costs amounting to as much as $12.5 million could have been avoided, or deferred, had the Navy and Air Force properly considered all available assets and losses of aircraft at the time F-4 aircraft ground support equipment requirements were computed; (6) the Department of Defense (DOD) informed GAO of improved procedures and management techniques established or planned in DOD; and (7) these measures should improve the interservice and intraservice determination of needs for ground support equipment and should result in the type of savings indicated above.