Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Army's computer equipment procurement and distribution plan for the Maneuver Control System to determine whether it complied with congressional guidelines to meet the system's requirements.
GAO found that the Army plan: (1) deletes its previous plans to acquire militarized Tactical Computer Systems and does not provide computer equipment to battalion units; (2) overestimates the cost for improved commercial computer equipment; (3) differs with other Army documents regarding the quantities of militarized equipment required; (4) differs with Army analysis concerning the need for militarized equipment at corps and division echelons; (5) differs with Congress on the number of active forces to be included as rapid-deployment forces; (6) provides for investment in certain equipment that may meet requirements for only 1 to 2 years; (7) fails to provide for a formal operational test for the Maneuver Control System prior to computer equipment production commitments; and (8) provides for the completion of computer equipment procurements 1 year later than Congress anticipated.
