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DOCUENT. RESUME
06783 - (B2307378 ] (Confidential)
Hanaging Weapon System Software: Progress and Problems
(Unclvs'ified Digest of a Claisified Report). ESAD-78-112;
B-163)5e. July 10# 1978.
Report to the Congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptrcllex General.
Contact: Procurement and Systems Acquisition Div.
Budget Function: National Defense: Veapon Systems (057).
organization Concerned: Department of Defense; Department of the
Army; Department of the Navy; Department of the Air Force,
Conqre.x,- 4'nal Relevance: Congress.
The Department of Defense (DOD) estimates that it
spends over $3 billion annually for weapon system software, and
the cost is stQadily rising. However, software performance has
often ' n unreliable because of sericus technical and
manaqE At problems vith the way it is designed, develop4d,
tested, and maintained. These problemt increase weapon system
life-cycle cost, extend development schedules, and degrade
missioL performance. ?indings/Couclusions: Due to the lack of
visibility in the acquisition process, software management is
not qiven the same eaphasis as hardware even though softvare is
critical to operational ?erformnance of the aajcr weapon systems.
Reconmendations: The Secretry of Defense should require the
Defense Systems Acquisitions Review Council to include software
management plans and issues at weapon system Froject review
meetings, giving special consideraticn to Flans for testing and
evaluating software before approving systems for deveiopEmet and
to the adequacy of software for system mission performance,
reliability, and maintainability bfifore approving systems for
production; provide specific actions for improving test and
evalvatioz and life-cycle maintenance of system software
programs; and insure that when operational testing disclcses
major software discrepancies on systems approvad for production,
the services earmark funds for corrective acIticns within a
reasonable time. The Congress should consider the fcllcving
issues when reviswing thc relevant system during DCD
approriation hearings: the Army did not perform complete
operational testing of the Tactical Fiare Direction System
software before procuring the system; the Navy does not Elan
satisfactory aoftware testing for the L4at Airko:ne
Bultipurpose System Bark IT7 before the prcduction decision is
made; and linited funding has hamperad eflorts to ccrrect
proi'lems anf. test changes in S-31 fleet-issue software probleaj.
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