US GAO: Missile Defense Agency misses annual test targets
A number of planned flight, ground, and cyber tests were not undertaken or failed to be completed during the FY2022 reporting period.
By Richard Thomas
The MDA is charge with securing the US from missile threats from potential foreign rivals. Credit: US DoD
Areport conducted by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that annual targets for the delivery of testing for the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Missile Defense Agency (MDA) ability to detect attacks and track, intercept, and destroy threats in flight was unmet in FY2022.
In the GAO report, published on 18 May, it was stated that the MDA had not completed its planned flight, ground, or cyber tests for its systems, which each year were part of goals set in terms of system delivery and testing of existing capabilities. The MDA is charged with the defence of the US, through a layered system of capabilities known as the Missile Defense System.
The GAO found that in 2022, the MDA continued to deliver interceptors and radar upgrades to operational commanders, including those that were expected to be delivered in prior years, but it did not meet its annual goals.
“As a result, the warfighter has less fielded capability than planned. One element—the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system—met its 2022 delivery goals. MDA did not complete its fiscal year 2022 flight, ground, and cyber baseline test programme, consistent with prior years,” the GAPO report stated.
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