Hearing of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee

Federal News Service

HEADLINE: HEARING OF THE STRATEGIC FORCES SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: SPACE ACQUISITION POLICIES AND PROCESSES

CHAIRED BY: SENATOR WAYNE ALLARD (R-CO)

WITNESSES:

PETER B. TEETS, UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AND DIRECTOR, NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE;

LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRIAN A. ARNOLD, USAF, COMMANDER, SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER, AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND;

A. THOMAS YOUNG, CHAIRMAN, DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD/AIR FORCE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD, JOINT TASK FORCE ON ACQUISITION OF NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE PROGRAMS;

ROBERT E. LEVIN, DIRECTOR, ACQUISITION AND SOURCING MANAGEMENT, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI): Mr. Chairman, I would have been here on time but we've got a few other things that we're laboring on, not the least of which is prescription drugs and energy right now. So I apologize for being late.

SEN. ALLARD: I understand.

SEN. LEVIN: I am concerned about the series of not so good news that's been coming out. Four weeks ago, the Air Force had successfully launched the last Titan 2 which placed a DMS satellite into low-Earth orbit and while a successful launch is always good news, the bad news is that the launch was originally scheduled to take place in January '01 and due to a variety of issues with both the Titan 2 launch vehicle and the spacecraft, this launch was delayed over two and-a-half years. And just last week was the news that the Space-Based Infrared System, SBIRS High has again been delayed and that payload was supposed to be ready in the late 90s but has been repeatedly delayed.

Most recently, the payload deliver date was November 7th. Now, it's some time early next year. As the schedule has slipped, the cost has more than doubled. The cost, unlike payload, has skyrocketed. This program is now at $8.5 billion, having grown from an early estimate of $2 billion. An article in Defense News cites General Arnold, one of our witnesses, as characterizing the program as, quote, "chronically plagued with failures." End of quote. And I'm looking forward to discussing this with the general.

Our witness from the Defense Science Board, Mr. Young, my long- time friend and someone I have enormous respect for, having worked with him in the space arena over the years, he's looked closely at the broad area of space acquisition and has come to some very troubling conclusions. Our witness from GAO, Mr. Levin, has looked specifically at SBIRS High and similarly highlighted troubling issues in that program. And with the result of these studies, we will be able to discuss both the macro and programmatic level issues and problems associated with space acquisitions.

So, Senator Allard, I thank you for holding this hearing. I look forward to digging into it.