The Government Accountability Office (GAO), a top government watchdog, said last week that the War Department’s top new weapons programs were behind schedule by an average of 12 years and would likely continue to lag.
In a report released on July 2, the GAO said that the War Department set overly optimistic timeframes for major defense acquisition programs totaling $2.4 trillion.
The 12-year average, purportedly fueled by immature technologies and static planning, represented an increased delay from what the office reported the prior year.
The delays noted in the report include the Air Force’s T-7 project, its hypersonic attack cruise missile program, and the radar modernization of its B-52s. …