Government Accountability Office: Annual Assessment of Weapon Systems (--)

Key Chapter Title List

1. Background
2. Department of Defense Plans to Invest Nearly 2.4 Trillion Dollars in Its Weapons Portfolio
3. Plans Miss Opportunities to Deliver Capabilities with Speed
4. Plans Can Improve Oversight of Software Development
5. Conclusion
6. Recommendations for Executive Branch Action
7. Appendix 1: Program Assessments
8. Appendix 2: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology
9. Appendix 3: DOD's Responsibilities for Weapon System Acquisition
10. Appendix 4: Leading Product Development Practices Throughout Iterative Cycles
11. Appendix 5: Technology Readiness Levels
12. Appendix 6: DOD's Comments

Document Introduction

This report is the 23rd annual assessment submitted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to congressional committees, fulfilling responsibilities mandated by Title 10, Section 3072 of the U.S. Code, to review the Department of Defense's (DOD) most expensive weapon acquisition programs. The report focuses on the long-standing challenge of how the DOD can rapidly deliver innovative technologies within its weapons portfolio, particularly against a backdrop of increasingly complex technology, software-driven systems, and heightened threats from peer adversaries. Although the DOD has implemented reforms aimed at accelerating outcomes, slow, linear development approaches persist.

The core analysis of the report covers 106 of the DOD's most expensive weapon programs, including 79 Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs), 20 programs using the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) pathway, and 7 future major weapon acquisitions that have not yet initiated an acquisition pathway. By analyzing cost and schedule data, collecting program documents, administering questionnaires, and interviewing DOD officials, the report assessed the performance of these programs over time, analyzed opportunities to improve program outcomes by utilizing leading product development practices, and examined the extent to which programs implement modern software development methods and recommended cybersecurity practices.

The study found that the cost of the DOD's weapons program portfolio continues to grow, with schedule delays worsening. For example, the total estimated cost for 30 MDAPs consistently included in the assessment increased by 49.3 billion dollars, with the Air Force's Sentinel missile program contributing over 36 billion dollars of that increase. The average projected time for MDAPs to deliver initial capability to warfighters increased by 18 months, reaching nearly 12 years. The MTA pathway, designed to accelerate capability delivery, has not fully achieved its intent; some programs entered this pathway with low technology maturity, leading to prolonged development rather than the intended speed. Furthermore, future major weapon acquisition programs are also not planning to fully leverage efficiency-enabling leading product development practices before initiation.

The report emphasizes that most reviewed programs failed to collaboratively and adequately implement key leading practices, such as Modular Open Systems Approach, Minimum Viable Product, Digital Twin, and Digital Thread. The fragmented use of these practices limits the potential for weapon systems to iterate rapidly, adapt to new threats, and maximize cost-effectiveness. The report also notes that there is room for improvement in programs' software development and cybersecurity practices, including insufficient adoption of Agile development metrics and tools, and inconsistent execution of early cybersecurity testing.

Based on these findings, GAO made recommendations to DOD leadership to take steps to ensure that future major weapon acquisition programs incorporate leading product development practices from their earliest stages. The DOD agreed with these recommendations. This report provides a decision-making tool for Congress and DOD leadership, offering a quick overview of each program's performance, risks, development progress, and use of leading practices, aiming to promote wiser investment of taxpayer funds and faster delivery of weapon systems.