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Military Space Programs: Opportunities to Reduce Missile Warning and
Communication Satellites' Costs (Testimony, 02/02/94,
GAO/T-NSIAD-94-108).
Originally designed to relay messages during global nuclear war, the
costly Milstar satellite system could be scaled back to save more than
$2 billion.  Both Milstar and the Defense Support System (DSP), meant to
detect ballistic missile launches, are products of the Cold War and need
to be adapted to tactical warfare in regional conflicts.  The Pentagon's
decision to end the current DSP follow-on program and start anew
provides an opportunity to fully consider the new tactical requirements.
Plans to begin a new DSP replacement effort in fiscal year 1995 will
require major management considerations, including requirements, cost
effectiveness, and affordability.  On Milstar, however, GAO believes
that the Defense Department (DOD) may not have gone far enough to cut
costs.  GAO believes that by canceling some of its planned larger
satellites and by initiating early development of a lower-cost system of
smaller satellites, DOD can trim billions of dollars in program costs.
--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------
 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-94-108
     TITLE:  Military Space Programs: Opportunities to Reduce Missile 
             Warning and Communication Satellites' Costs
      DATE:  02/02/94
   SUBJECT:  Life cycle costs
             Military satellites
             Communications satellites
             Defense contingency planning
             Defense procurement
             Defense cost control
             Defense communications operations
             Warning systems
             Defense appropriations
             Command and control systems
IDENTIFIER:  Defense Support Program
             MILSTAR
             Follow-On Early Warning System
             Air Force Advanced Warning System
             SDI Boost Surveillance and Tracking System
             Titan IV Rocket
             Military Strategic and Tactical Relay Satellite 
             Communications System
             BSTS
             SDI
             Strategic Defense Initiative Program
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