Hence, U.S. suppression aircraft focus on trying to neutralize, degrade, or destroy the enemy’s air defense radar equipment. High demand for the aircraft has exacerbated current wing and engine problems, and the Navy has been unable to meet its overall requirements. Finally, to the extent there are gaps in suppression capabilities, U.S. fighter aircraft and helicopters must rely on self-protection equipment to suppress enemy air defenses, but some of this equipment has been proven to be unreliable. In response to our previous report, DOD stated that its Airborne Electronic Attack Analysis of Alternatives would provide the basis for such a strategy. The Analysis of Alternatives Did Not Provide the Basis for a Comprehensive Strategy for the Suppression Mission

In fiscal year 2000, Congress expressed concerns that DOD did not have a serious plan for a successor to the EA-6B aircraft and directed DOD to conduct the Airborne Electronic Attack Analysis of Alternatives for replacing the EA-6B. DOD indicated in its response to our January 2001 report that the analysis would lead to a DOD-wide strategy and balanced set of acquisition programs to address the overall gaps between suppression needs and capabilities. However, it was only intended to address the airborne electronic attack aspect of the suppression mission and therefore did not address the acknowledged problems with aircraft self-protection systems or the technical and funding challenges of other service programs such as the Navy’s ITALD program, the Air Force’s MALD program, and the Air Force’s EC-130 modifications. In June 2002, the services presented their proposals for follow-on capabilities to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. However, the service proposals that are currently being considered by DOD do not provide an integrated, comprehensive solution to the overall suppression needs. DOD has recognized a gap exists in suppression capabilities but has made little progress in closing it. Recommendations for Executive Action

To close the gap between enemy air defense suppression needs and capabilities, we recommend that the Secretary of Defense establish a coordinating entity and joint comprehensive strategy to address the gaps that need to be filled in the enemy air defense suppression mission.
Why GAO Did This Study

U.S. military aircraft are often at great risk from enemy air defenses, and the services use specialized aircraft to neutralize or destroy them. In January 2001, GAO reported that a gap existed between the services' suppression capabilities and their needs and recommended that a comprehensive strategy was needed to fix the situation. In response to GAO's report, DOD emphasized that a major study underway at the time would provide the basis for a Department-wide strategy and lead to a balanced set of acquisition programs between the services. This report updates our previous work and assesses actions that DOD has taken to improve its suppression capabilities.

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense continues to face a gap between its need to suppress enemy air defenses and its capabilities to do so, despite some progress in upgrading its capabilities. There are not enough existing suppression aircraft to meet overall requirements, some aircraft are experiencing wing and engine problems, and improvements are needed to counter evolving threats. DOD's primary suppression aircraft, the EA-6B, is also reaching the end of its life cycle and a replacement is needed as early as 2009. Furthermore, some aircraft self-protection equipment, which provide additional suppression capabilities, have also been found to be unreliable. DOD has not yet developed an integrated, comprehensive approach to the U.S. air defense suppression mission but has recently completed an Analysis of Alternatives that presented the services with 27 options for replacing the aging EA-6B. The services formed a coordinating group to assess the options, and in June 2002 presented service-specific proposals to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for analysis and consideration in the 2004 budget. However, the Analysis of Alternatives did not provide the basis for a comprehensive strategy to address the department's overall suppression needs. It only analyzed the airborne electronic attack portion of the mission and did not address needed improvements in aircraft self-protection systems or the technical and funding challenges of other service programs such as the Navy's and Air Force's air-launched decoy programs.