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NSIAD-95-87R 1 (1995-02-06)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacksw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: United States GAc) General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548 National Security and International Affairs Division B-260283 February 6, 1995 The Honorable C.W. Bill Young Chairman The Honorable John P. Murtha Ranking Minority Member Subcommittee on National Security Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives This letter responds to the House Appropriations Committee's request' for the General Accounting Office to comment on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the Department of Defense (DOD) transferring two Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites to the Department of Commerce's (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). DOD and NOAA each operate polar-orbiting meteorological satellite systems. The satellites are built by the same contractor and contain some common components. In September 1993, the Committee suggested that two DMSP satellites be transferred to meet NOAA's interim requirements, pending a fully integrated, governmentwide, meteorological satellite architecture. In May 1994, the President signed a directive requiring DOD and the DOC to integrate their separate satellite systems into a single, converged, national system. At that time, DOD had nine and NOAA had six satellites that were either built or being procured.' The prevailing view was that the unequal number of satellites between the two agencies could complicate a timely and orderly transition to the converged system. DOD and NOAA representatives stated, however, that the imbalance in the inventory of satellites is manageable, and there are no plans to transfer any satellites. Our assessment is that transferring DMSP satellites to NOAA would not be beneficial to the government. Although the satellites have similarities, previous 'Contained in the Committee's June 27, 1994 report (103-562) accompanying the fiscal year 1995 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, p. 42. 2Since that time, DOD and NOAA have launched one satellite each, reducing these numbers to eight and five, respectively. GAOINSIAD-95-87R Meteorological Satellites /5%C?

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