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According to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Pentagon “remains alarmingly slow” in delivering new weapon systems and equipment to military personnel.
In its annual weapons systems report, the GAO reviewed over 100 of the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons programs that are anticipated to exceed $2 trillion in development and acquisition expenses. The GAO found that major acquisition programs typically take over 10 years to reach their initial operational phase, a time frame deemed “incompatible” with sustaining military superiority in a technology-driven landscape.
‘Mo Tech, Mo Problems:’
The GAO said the Pentagon’s “weapon systems acquisition finds [the] Department of Defense still struggling to deliver new technologies quickly, even while faced with constantly evolving threats. The Department of Defense acknowledged it needed a new approach—creating acquisition pathways to speed up processes. But some programs in the new pathways likely won’t deliver much faster than traditional programs.” The GAO went on to say that while some issues can be fixed, others are difficult as a lot of the new military equipment rolling out is software-based, which the Pentagon has “struggled to hire and retain a workforce with sufficient software expertise.”
In the Pentagon’s defense, the report noted that they have been actively seeking to hire more software engineers but have faced challenges, including finding staff with the required expertise. The job landscape for employees with this expertise is very competitive, with major tech companies offering more lucrative opportunities due to better pay.
This development comes as various critical programs to the United States military are experiencing significant delays, resulting in some top US lawmakers launching inquiries. One of these programs, a shore connector amphibious craft for the Navy, has been delayed by 15 months. Other delays include issues with Lockheed Martin over updates to the F-35 program.
