Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Air Force's acquisition of inertial measurement units (IMU), a component of the Peacekeeper missile guidance and control system.
GAO found that: (1) as of June 1987, the contractor had manufactured 35 developmental and 45 production IMU; (2) all of the production IMU and most of the developmental IMU deliveries were late; (3) the firm plans to deliver six IMU each month from May 1987 to January 1988, which would get it back on schedule by February 1988; and (4) the Air Force believes that the contractor could realistically deliver five units each month, which would enable it to meet its schedule by October 1988. GAO also found that: (1) based on failures which occurred after their installation in operational missiles, IMU reliability is better than the Air Force anticipated; (2) of the 47 IMU delivered by June 1987, the Air Force has installed 22 in operational missiles; (3) 13 IMU designated as spares could be used in a national emergency to bring additional missiles to operational status; and (4) according to the Air Force, the accuracy demonstrated by the flight test missiles is better than the design requirement.
