Key websites in America’s huge missile protection system community are affected by seawater corrosion, insufficient working water within the loos, poor heating and air con, an absence of storage services and different issues, a authorities watchdog mentioned, pointing to shortfalls within the system at an important second for U.S. nationwide safety.
The new report from the Government Accountability Office paints a troubling image of the nation’s missile protection system, or MDS, an array of satellites, radars and different instruments designed to determine, monitor and doubtlessly destroy missiles fired at U.S. or allied targets. The well being of the MDS is a prime precedence in Washington and deep contained in the Pentagon, significantly as a rising China makes large investments in its personal navy and seems intent on growing capabilities that might strike the U.S. or its companions.
The GAO report discovered vital potential gaps in that system, together with big-picture issues with how the Defense Department screens the MDS and its varied elements, and smaller-level upkeep and maintenance issues at delicate websites.
Compounding the issue, the congressional watchdog company mentioned, was that it was unclear who was answerable for making issues proper.
Broadly talking, the GAO mentioned, the Pentagon “has not identified a specific entity assigned with responsibilities for overseeing the sustainment of MDS. No one entity has been assigned responsibility per [Defense Department] guidance for overseeing the sustainment of MDS elements, resulting in a lack of visibility of MDS sustainment needs.”
The authorities watchdog additionally mentioned “there is no approach for prioritizing and making department-wide sustainment decisions” for the MDS.
“Absent comprehensive guidance, including a responsible oversight entity and a process for prioritizing and addressing sustainment challenges, [the Pentagon] lacks reasonable assurance that it can sustain elements and infrastructure to address missile defense threats,” the report mentioned.
The GAO, which delivered its findings to congressional leaders earlier this month, really useful that the Pentagon designate a particular entity chargeable for overseeing sustainment of the complete MDS. In its response to the report, the Defense Department mentioned it agrees with that advice.
The GAO additionally mentioned the Pentagon ought to implement a semi-annual report on the readiness of the MDS. The Defense Department mentioned that step “is already being performed.”
Despite the Pentagon’s assurances, the findings contained in the GAO report are alarming. The research examined quite a few U.S. websites all over the world. At the house of the tenth Missile Defense Battery in Japan, for instance, non permanent shelters are getting used regardless of the property being completely stationed on the location. The web site homes AN/TPY-2 radars and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, batteries.
The GAO additionally mentioned that officers might have to buy new tools as a consequence of seawater corrosion on the web site.
On Guam, the GAO mentioned that items working THAAD batteries have “insufficient facilities for maintenance work, spares storage, protection from typhoons and lavatories with running water.”
At Alaska’s Fort Greely, GAO officers mentioned personnel on the web site have needed to bodily guard interceptor fields because of the “degradation” of cameras, sensors and different components of the safety system.
Other websites have insufficient storage for spare components, poor heating and air con methods, and different points.
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