If you ask the Government Accountability Office, one of the chief causes of ongoing schedule and cost problems of military space programs is the fact that “on a broad scale, DOD starts more weapon programs than it can afford.” Compounding that problem, testified GAO’s director of acquisition and sourcing management team, Cristina Chaplain at last week’s Senate Armed Services strategic forces panel hearing, is prime cause No. 2: “DOD has tended to start its programs too early.” And, she added, a “companion problem for space systems is that programs have historically attempted to satisfy all requirements in a single step.” Cristina had praise for USAF’s recent efforts to establish block acquisition approaches for the Space Radar and Transformational Satellite Communications System, recognizing them as “significant shifts in thinking.” However, she also noted that “sustaining these reforms will not be easy.” Air Force officials already have acknowledged they have a tough road.
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
