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 1997-07-16 monographic deposited born digital 23 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-97-159 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159 P0b002ee18039723b f:ns97159 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159 NSIAD-97-159 Communication satellites Military satellites National defense operations Defense cost control Commercial products Defense procurement Cost effectiveness analysis Defense Satellite Communications System Letter Report NSIAD

GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) plan to acquire a follow-on system to the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS), focusing on DOD's long-range plan to replace DSCS in fiscal year (FY) 2006 and its interim plan to replenish the DSCS constellation with satellites in the inventory, relative to satellite communication requirements.<p/>GAO noted that: (1) during the next decade, DOD anticipates that its requirements for high-capacity satellite communications will increase significantly because of the: (a) shift in the national military strategy; and (b) increasing availability of advanced satellite communication technologies and services and DOD's desire to take advantage of such technologies; (2) DOD's Joint Requirements Oversight Council plans to review these requirements later this year; (3) the DSCS' replenishment satellites, most of which are to have twice the capacity of the existing operational satellites, are not expected to keep pace with the projected requirements; (4) to the extent that these requirements are not satisfied by the system, the users' alternative would be to lease satellite communications from commercial providers; (5) funding for the replacement of the system in FY 2006 is to be requested starting in FY 2001; (6) meanwhile, the projected requirements are expected to continue increasing, which will force increases in the leasing of commercial satellite communication services to meet unsatisfied requirements; (7) a DOD analysis indicates that commercial leasing is more costly than acquiring equivalent commercial-like capabilities; (8) according to military satellite communications program representatives and studies, the first launch of a replacement satellite would be technically feasible in FY 2003; (9) GAO's analysis of the effect on costs of this 2003 alternative, compared to DOD's 2006 plan, indicates that the government could save about $2.8 billion in future years; and (10) the alternative, however, would require DOD to transfer about $945 million in planned funding from FYs 2004-2006 to its FYs 1999-2003 future years defense program. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159.pdf GAO/NSIAD-97-159 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-97-159 Letter Report GAO/NSIAD-97-159; Defense Satellite Communications: Alternative to DOD's Satellite Replacement Plan Would Be Less Costly; Communication satellites Military satellites National defense operations Defense cost control Commercial products Defense procurement Cost effectiveness analysis Defense Satellite Communications System Title 31 Section 720 31 U.S.C. 720