Army plan to accelerate vital systems buys falters
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An Army program designed to hasten the purchase of 11 high-priority systems for the service's digital battlefield initiative has fallen short of its objectives, according to a recent General Accounting Office report. The Army began the Warfighting Rapid Acquisition Program in 1996 to speed up the fielding of new technologies needed by soldiers. By making funds available faster than would be the case through the standard budget process, WRAP was
An Army program designed to hasten the purchase of 11 high-priority systems for the The Army began the Warfighting Rapid Acquisition Program in 1996 to speed up the Although some technologies may be fielded sooner because of WRAP, in most cases, GAO found that three of the 11 initial WRAP initiativesMortar Fire Control Two of 11 initiativesApplique and Tactical Internetdid not meet the Applique and Tactical Internet combine to form an Army system called Force XXI Battle Congress in the services fiscal 1997 Defense budget allotted $50 million for the The Army requested $99.5 million this year for WRAP systems. But Congress approved only Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Appropriations The Armys criteria for candidates were open-ended and do not ensure that GAO recommended that the Army issue guidance establishing minimum testing and George Schneiter, director of strategic and tactical systems in the Office of the Under The Army is continuing to examine potential improvements to the WRAPForce Although WRAPs benefits are not yet fully realized, the Army considers the
services digital battlefield initiative has fallen short of its objectives,
according to a recent General Accounting Office report.
fielding of new technologies needed by soldiers. By making funds available faster than
would be the case through the standard budget process, WRAP was supposed to jump-start
technologies under development
the program will not speed up fielding as much as originally expected, GAO said in
its report, Army Modernization: The Warfighting Rapid Acquisition Program Needs More
Specific Guidance.
System, the Gun Laying and Positioning System, and the Avenger Slew-to-Cuewill not
be part of the Armys first digitized division slated for next year. The Army in the
past has justified funding for WRAP based on the urgent need to field these technologies
to the digitized 4th Infantry Division, GAO said.
Armys criterion that WRAP candidates be ready for production within two years, GAO
said. Although they are not expected to begin production until fiscal 2004, both were
approved by the Army as continued experimentation initiatives.
Command, Brigade and Below (FBCB2), which includes notebooks, software, Global Positioning
System receivers and communications connectors. Army officials tout FBCB2 officials as the
backbone of the services first digitized division.
first 11 WRAP initiatives, selected from 72 technologies tested at the Armys March
1997 Task Force XXI Advanced Warfighting Experiment. WRAP subsequently received $99.9
million from Congress last year.
$64.5 million.
Subcommittee on National Security, asked GAO to evaluate the WRAP initiative after
expressing concerns about the program. GAO concluded that the program has experienced
growing pains and lacked focus in the selection of technologies.
initiatives share a common set of characteristics, GAO said.
experimentation requirements for WRAP candidates.
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, told GAO in a written response that
DOD partially concurred with the reports recommendations. But Schneiter did not
elaborate.
XXI initiatives processes, including the schedules for candidate identification and
selection, the requirements for levels of testing and experimentation tailored to the
specific initiative, and the appropriate detail and frequency of reporting to OSD and the
Congress, Schneiter said.
program crucial for reducing the acquisition cycle for technologies to digitize the
battlefield, he said.