Summary: GAO reviewed the Army's problems with automatic diagnostic equipment, actions the Army is taking to overcome its problems, and improvements needed to minimize such problems in future weapons acquisitions.
GAO found that: (1) while performance of automatic diagnostic equipment varied, neither internal nor external diagnostic equipment performed as expected during operational tests; (2) the Army had not completed some operational testing; (3) in some cases, the Army spent substantial sums to improve diagnostic software or other system aspects; (4) diagnostic equipment contractors have generally emphasized system performance, at the expense of maintainability; (5) the Army does not provide specific contractual diagnostic requirements or guidelines for making trade-offs between internal and external diagnostic equipment; (6) diagnostics testing was limited and lagged behind system testing; and (7) the Army adopted a standard to provide uniform procedures and methods for establishing a testability program.
