Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed four funding options for the Air Force's Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program for fiscal year (FY) 1989.
GAO found that the Air Force estimated that in FY 1989 it would require: (1) $500 million to continue the ICBM program without regard to lead time necessary to requalify program contractors; (2) $600 million to continue both the missile and basing portions of the program without regard to the lead time; (3) $900 million to continue the missile portion of the program and to minimize the lead time to start full-scale development; and (4) $1.2 billion to continue the missile and basing portions of the program and to minimize the lead time to restart the weapon system full-scale development program. GAO also found that: (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) proposed terminating the program in its FY 1989 budget request; (2) because of congressional concerns, DOD requested $200 million to give the next administration the option to continue the program; (3) the Air Force restructured the program on a budget of $200 million for FY 1989; and (4) the Air Force believes that, under the restructured program, few meaningful activities will occur after completion of test flights.
