NATO Nuclear Bases: U.S. Should Seek Needs Reassessment and Increased
Alliance Contributions (Letter Report, 12/23/93, GAO/NSIAD-94-84).

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) can maintain a strong
nuclear force and maintain broad Allied participation with fewer strike
bases, and the United States may be able to cut its support costs by
consolidating its nuclear bombs at fewer storage sites. NATO's most
recent assessment of required nuclear capability assumes that its strike
bases are vulnerable to a massive and sustained Soviet air attack.
Despite the recent collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO has yet to do
additional analyses to see whether fewer bases could provide enough
nuclear capability.  U.S. Air Forces in Europe does not follow Pentagon
and Air Force regulations on implementing and monitoring Allied
compliance with bilateral agreements governing support for U.S. Air
Force custodial units stationed at Allied strike bases.  U.S. Air Forces
in Europe has failed to identify these problems in its annual
evaluations of internal and administrative controls, though required by
law.  As a result, the United States is spending millions of dollars for
facilities, equipment, and other support promised by host nations.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  NSIAD-94-84
     TITLE:  NATO Nuclear Bases: U.S. Should Seek Needs Reassessment and 
             Increased Alliance Contributions
      DATE:  12/23/93
   SUBJECT:  Internal controls
             NATO military agreements
             Nuclear weapons
             Defense contingency planning
             Compliance
             Cost control
             NATO military forces
             Defense operations
             Defense capabilities
IDENTIFIER:  Europe
             Warsaw Pact
             Soviet Union
             
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