In an effort to address these problems, the program  was restructured in March of this year. However, due to JTRS’ lengthy  development path, DOD has had to continue buying other tactical radios— currently estimated to cost $11 billion—to support its communication  needs. Program Restructuring Appears to Address Many Concerns with JTRS

The proposed JTRS restructuring approach appears to address past  concerns with the program that GAO and others have documented in  recent years. While still meeting the needs of key users such as Future  Combat Systems, the revised approach is expected to develop and field  capabilities in increments rather than attempting to develop and field the  capabilities all at once. Costly and non-transformational requirements will  be deferred to later increments. In addition, through the establishment of  the JPEO and other structural changes, JTRS program management has  been strengthened and has become more centralized. The centralized  management structure should help the program control development costs  and improve oversight through the coordination of standards, system  engineering, and development of the radios and waveforms. The JPEO  must first finalize the details of the restructuring, including completing  formal acquisition strategies, independent cost estimates, and test and  evaluation plans. DOD also needs to revise the Concept of Operations so  that it effectively describes how JTRS networking capabilities will be used. Completing and obtaining DOD’s approval of these activities is needed to  ensure the program is executable. Over the longer term, the program faces  key management and technical challenges that must be overcome. For  example, although the new joint management structure for JTRS is a  significant improvement over the previous fragmented program  management structure, joint development efforts in DOD have often been  hampered by an inability to obtain and sustain commitments and support  from the military services and other stakeholders. In addition, operating in a networked environment open to a large number  of potential users has generated an unprecedented need for information  assurance. This need has resulted in a lengthy, technically challenging, and  still evolving certification process from the National Security Agency. Moreover, integrating the radio’s hardware onto diverse platforms and  meeting respective size, weight, and power limitations has been a long- term challenge and remains so. Interoperability of Networking Waveforms

The proposed interim technical solutions enabling network  interoperability have yet to be developed. Recommendations

To enhance the likelihood of success of the JTRS program, we recommend  that the Secretary of Defense:    before approving the detailed program plans for each JTRS domain,  ensure that they reflect stable and well-defined requirements; knowledge- based acquisition strategies; clear and meaningful test plans that address  the need to not only test individual JTRS components but the overall  networking capabilities of JTRS as well; and, funding commitments  necessary to execute the program; and    develop JTRS migration and fielding plans that are consistent with a well- developed concept of operations for using JTRS networking capabilities  and effectively balances recent investments in acquiring legacy radios with  future needs. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To assess whether recent actions taken by DOD puts the JTRS program in  a better position to succeed, we obtained briefings on restructuring  assessments, plans, and decisions, analyzed documents describing  Increment 1 requirements, and interviewed program and product officials  from the Joint Program Executive Office, San Diego, California.
Why GAO Did This Study

In 1997, the Department of Defense (DOD) initiated the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program, a key element of its effort to transform military operations to be network centric. Using emerging software-defined radio technology, the JTRS program plans to develop and procure hundreds of thousands of radios that give warfighters the capability to access maps and other visual data, communicate via voice and video, and obtain information directly from battlefield sensors. The JTRS program has encountered a number of problems, resulting in significant delays and cost increases. The program is currently estimated to total about $37 billion. Given the criticality of JTRS to DOD's force transformation, Congress directed GAO to continue its ongoing review of the JTRS program. This report (1) assesses whether a recent restructuring puts the program in a better position to succeed and (2) identifies any risks that challenge the successful fielding of JTRS.

What GAO Found

The proposed JTRS restructuring--a plan DOD approved in March 2006--appears to address and reduce program risks that GAO and others have documented in recent years. While still meeting key requirements, including those related to DOD's network centric transformation effort, the revised approach is expected to develop and field capabilities in increments rather than attempting to develop and field the capabilities all at once. Costly and non-transformational requirements will be deferred to later increments. Deferring these requirements will allow more time to mature critical technologies, integrate components, and test the radio system before committing to production. JTRS program management has also been strengthened through the establishment of a Joint Program Executive Office (JPEO). The more centralized management structure should help the program improve oversight and coordination of standards, system engineering, and development of the radios. The real test will be in execution, and, for that, several management and technical challenges remain. First, JPEO must finalize the details of the restructuring, including formal acquisition strategies, independent cost estimates, and test and evaluation plans. DOD also needs to develop migration and fielding plans for how JTRS networking capabilities will be used. Completing and obtaining DOD's approval of these activities is needed to ensure the JTRS program is executable. There are also a number of longer-term technical challenges that the JTRS program must address. For example, the proposed interim solutions for enabling network interoperability among different JTRS variants have yet to be developed. In addition, integrating the radio's hardware onto diverse platforms and meeting respective size, weight, and power limitations has also been a longstanding challenge that must be overcome. Furthermore, operating in a networked environment open to a large number of potential users has generated an unprecedented need for information assurance. This need has resulted in a lengthy, technically challenging, and still evolving certification process from the National Security Agency. At the same time, the program must address the need to obtain and sustain commitments and support from the military services and other stakeholders--a challenge that has often hampered joint development efforts in the past. The extent to which DOD overcomes these challenges will determine the extent to which the program manages cost, schedule, and performance risks and supports JTRS-dependent military operations.