Army Combat Vehicles: Industrial Base Study's Approach Met Research Standards

• Main Authors: Mak, Marie A, McKelvey, Janet, Allbritton, Bill, John Beauchamp, Chanley, Virginia, Graham, Farrah, Schatz, Sylvia, Stevens, Anne, Swierczek, Robert S
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACV(AMPHIBIOUS COMBAT VEHICLES); AMPV(ARMORED MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES); ARMY COMBAT VEHICLE INDUSTRIAL BASE STUDY; ARMY RESEARCH; Combat Vehicles; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; DOD(DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE); GAO REPORTS; Military Forces and Organizations; RESEARCH STANDARDS; Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods

As the Army reduces its number of troops, it requires fewer new ground combat vehicles, such as the Abrams tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle. In response to questions raised about the effect of this planned decrease, the Senate Armed Services Committee and conferees for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 directed the Army to conduct a study to examine the viability of its combat vehicle industrial base. The Army issued a contract with a management consulting firm to conduct the study, which was presented to congressional defense committees in April 2014. The Joint Explanatory Statement to Accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 included a general provision for GAO to assess the reasonableness of the Army study s methods. GAO examined the study s design, execution, and presentation of the results. This examination included, among other things, a review of the study s assumptions and the steps taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the study s data. GAO reviewed study documentation, briefings, and the final report to congressional defense committees and assessed its reasonableness using generally accepted research standards. GAO also interviewed Army officials, the study s authors, the two combat vehicle industrial base original equipment manufacturers, and several suppliers selected based on their perceived criticality to the combat vehicle industrial base. GAO is not making any recommendations in this report. Report to Congressional Committees