Weather Service Modernization: Despite Progress, Significant Problems and
Risks Remain (Testimony, 02/21/95, GAO/T-AIMD-95-87).

The National Weather Service's (NWS) modernization program, at a cost of
about $4.5 billion, is one of the larger systems modernization efforts
in the federal government.  GAO believes that the modernization, if
properly executed, should improve the quality of the agency's products
and services, while also streamlining and downsizing operations.
Moreover, despite some setbacks along the way, the modernization can
boast of some successes.  The Next Generation Weather Radars, for
example, represent a "quantum leap" in capability over the radars they
are replacing.  The modernization, however, is far from over and the
challenges that remain are formidable.  If the modernization is to
achieve its full potential, known systems problems, such as those
plaguing the Automated Surface Observing System, must be overcome, and
future system development risks, such as those facing the Advanced
Weather Interactive Processing System, must be effectively managed.
Further, the modernization's many interrelated and interdependent
systems must be developed and evolved according to a detailed blueprint,
such as that offered by a systems architecture.

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

 REPORTNUM:  T-AIMD-95-87
     TITLE:  Weather Service Modernization: Despite Progress, 
             Significant Problems and Risks Remain
      DATE:  02/21/95
   SUBJECT:  Radar equipment
             Weather forecasting
             Climate statistics
             Research and development
             Mechanization
             Computerized information systems
             Systems design
             Systems architecture
             Earth resources satellites
IDENTIFIER:  NWS Next Generation Weather Radar
             NWS Automated Surface Observing System
             NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System
             Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
             
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