United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-09-18 monographic deposited born digital 21 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-1054R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R P0b002ee1803988e2 f:d081054r DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R GAO-08-1054R Accountability Air Force bases Cost analysis Critical infrastructure Defense cost control Defense operations Defense procurement Facility security Information classification Military facilities Relocation allowances Reporting requirements Risk assessment Risk management Schedule slippages Security assessments Security policies Strategic planning NORAD Command Center Correspondence A84287 In July 2006, the former Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) announced plans to relocate certain functions from Cheyenne Mountain to create an integrated command center in Building 2 at Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado. In May 2007, we reported that NORAD and USNORTHCOM had not analyzed the anticipated operational effects--both positive and negative--of the relocation, and that the Department of Defense (DOD) could not discern the full costs or security implications of the move until ongoing security assessments had been completed and a protection level designated for the integrated command center. We suggested that Congress should consider restricting DOD's authority to fund the relocation until all security analyses were complete, the full costs for the move were determined, and DOD provided Congress with an analysis of the operational effects of the proposed realignments. As a result, in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), Congress directed the Secretary of Defense to submit a report by March 1, 2008, assessing the relocation of the NORAD Command Center and related functions from Cheyenne Mountain to Peterson AFB. The Act required the report to contain (1) an analysis comparing the total costs associated with the relocation, including costs determined as part of ongoing security-related studies of the relocation, to anticipated operational benefits from the relocation; (2) a detailed explanation of the backup functions that will remain located at Cheyenne Mountain, and how those functions will maintain operational connectivity with their related commands; (3) the final plans for the relocation of the NORAD Command Center and related functions; and (4) the findings and recommendations resulting from the independent security and vulnerability assessment of Peterson AFB, including the Secretary of Defense's plans for mitigating any security and vulnerability risks identif ied and estimates for associated costs and scheduling. The Act mandated that we review DOD's report and the final plans for the relocation, and that we report to Congress within 120 days. On March 3, 2008, DOD submitted its report to Congress. DOD's report included a cost-benefit analysis comparing the following three alternatives: Status quo--retain separate command centers at Cheyenne Mountain and Peterson AFB. Establish a combined and integrated command center at Peterson AFB with reach-back capability to the computer systems at Cheyenne Mountain. Establish a combined command center at Peterson AFB that duplicates the systems at Cheyenne Mountain. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R.pdf GAO-08-1054R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-1054R Correspondence GAO-08-1054R; Defense Infrastructure: NORAD and USNORTHCOM Need to Reevaluate Vulnerabilities Associated with Moving the NORAD Command Center from Cheyenne Mountain to Peterson Air Force Base, and to Acknowledge Acceptance of the Risks; Accountability Air Force bases Cost analysis Critical infrastructure Defense cost control Defense operations Defense procurement Facility security Information classification Military facilities Relocation allowances Reporting requirements Risk assessment Risk management Schedule slippages Security assessments Security policies Strategic planning NORAD Command Center Public Law 110-181