GAO Report in PDF Format Trident II: Reductions to MK-6 Guidance System Inventory Objectives May Be Possible (Letter Report, 07/06/94, GAO/NSIAD-94-192). The Navy plans to have 10 Trident II missile submarines by the end of fiscal year 1997. Each Trident II carries 14 D-5 missiles, and each missile is equipped with the MK-6 guidance system, which is comprised of an inertial measurement unit and an electronics assembly. The Navy maintains spare MK-6 guidance systems on board each submarine and in its logistics pipeline for test and maintenance purposes. The Navy carries six spare MK-6s on board each patrolling submarine. These inventory objectives are based on maintaining the same high levels of readiness and reliability that were originally established between 1986 and 1987 during the Cold War era. GAO found that reducing the number of on board spares to three would decrease the guidance system's operational readiness by only 3 percent, and reducing the number of spares to four would result in only a 0.66 percent decrease. GAO recommends the Secretary of Defense consider reducing the number of additional MK-6 guidance systems scheduled to be procured in coming years in light of the decreased threat following the break up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. --------------------------- Indexing Terms ----------------------------- REPORTNUM: NSIAD-94-192 TITLE: Trident II: Reductions to MK-6 Guidance System Inventory Objectives May Be Possible DATE: 07/06/94 SUBJECT: Advanced weapons systems Navy procurement Spare parts Military inventories Submarines Electronic equipment Projections Inventory control systems Fleet ballistic missiles Nuclear weapons IDENTIFIER: MK-6 Guidance System Trident D5 Missile Trident II Submarine Warsaw Pact Soviet Union Navy Commander in Chief Evaluation Test Program Navy Demonstration and Shakedown Operation Test ************************************************************************ See the GAO FAQ - Section 2.0 for printed copy ordering information. The FAQ is automatically retrieved with all WAIS search results or can be obtained by sending e-mail to: info@www.gao.gov
