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Report | Aug. 6, 2015

Marine Corps Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar Program Management Met Acquisition Guidelines Intent, but Risks Remain

DODIG-2015-158

Objective

Our audit objective was to determine if the Marine Corps was effectively managing the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) during the low-rate initial production (initial p roduction) phase. We evaluated the production plan for initial production units and planned developmental testing.

Finding

The Marine Corps generally managed the G/ATOR program in accordance with Defense acquisition guidelines. G/ATOR Program Management Office (PMO) officials implemented reliability improvements, planned new semiconductor technology that should reduce costs and improve performance, and obtained the milestone decision authority approval for increased initial production quantities.

However, on March 10, 2014, the milestone decision authority approved the G/ATOR system to begin initial production without an approved Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP). Officials from G/ATOR PMO and the test community stated that they were coordinating to include the test strategy for new semiconductor technology and a clarified operational reliability requirement in the TEMP.

G/ATOR PMO officials plan to complete the TEMP before developmental testing begins in the second quarter FY 2017. Until the TEMP is updated to include the test strategy for new semiconductor technology and a clarified operational reliability requirement, the G/ATOR program is not ready for additional testing.

This report is a result of Project No. D2015-D000AU-0129.000.