United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-03-13 monographic deposited born digital 56 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-96-104 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104 P0b002ee18037ba72 f:ns96104 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104 NSIAD-96-104 Naval warfare Military vessels Combat readiness Defense capabilities Command and control systems Navy procurement Military cost control Advanced weapons systems Equipment maintenance Military research Desert Storm U.S.S. Princeton U.S.S. Tripoli Persian Gulf U.S.S. Inchon Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Ship Osprey Class Mine Hunter Coastal Ship MH-53E Helicopter Sea Dragon Helicopter Ingleside (TX) Airborne Mine Hunting Sonar System AN/AQS-20 Sonar System Airborne Mine Neutralization System Semi-Autonomous Acoustic/Magnetic Vehicle Navy Distributed Explosive Technology Program Shallow Water Assault Breaching System Landing Craft Air Cushion Navy Explosive Neutralization Advanced Technology Demonstration Program Chapter Report NSIAD Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Navy's efforts to improve its ability to conduct effective sea mine countermeasures (MCM) in two simultaneous major regional conflicts, focusing on the: (1) status of the Navy's research and development projects; (2) readiness of the Navy's present MCM equipment; and (3) match between the Navy's planned and on-hand MCM equipment and its MCM requirements.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the Navy must develop different systems to cover deep- and shallow-water mine clearing operations, and its shallow-water MCM capability is limited; (2) the Navy has about 18 different projects to address its MCM weaknesses, but has not set clear priorities among its mine warfare programs; (3) a long-range plan could help the Navy maximize its limited financial resources and ensure ongoing funding of its priority systems; (4) the Navy has experienced delays in new systems' deployment and has identified shortfalls of at least $99.5 million in its shallow-water projects' development; (5) the Navy's 14 oceangoing MCM ships have long-standing equipment reliability problems and parts shortages, which hinders mission performance; (6) the Navy is resolving the ships' problems, but that will take several more years; (7) the Navy is spending about $1.5 billion for 12 coastal, non-oceangoing mine hunting ships that are no longer needed, and will spend an average of $3.6 million annually to operate and maintain each of them; (8) the Navy plans to acquire a new MCM command, control, and support ship early in the next century and, in the interim, convert an older helicopter carrier at a cost of $118 million, but other existing ships and onshore locations could fulfill mission requirements at a lower cost; and (9) the Navy could save millions of dollars by deactivating some of the coastal ships and the command support ship. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104.pdf GAO/NSIAD-96-104 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-104 Chapter Report GAO/NSIAD-96-104; Navy Mine Warfare: Budget Realignment Can Help Improve Countermine Capabilities; Naval warfare Military vessels Combat readiness Defense capabilities Command and control systems Navy procurement Military cost control Advanced weapons systems Equipment maintenance Military research Desert Storm U.S.S. Princeton U.S.S. Tripoli Persian Gulf U.S.S. Inchon Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Ship Osprey Class Mine Hunter Coastal Ship MH-53E Helicopter Sea Dragon Helicopter Ingleside (TX) Airborne Mine Hunting Sonar System AN/AQS-20 Sonar System Airborne Mine Neutralization System Semi-Autonomous Acoustic/Magnetic Vehicle Navy Distributed Explosive Technology Program Shallow Water Assault Breaching System Landing Craft Air Cushion Navy Explosive Neutralization Advanced Technology Demonstration Program