Posted 11/07/05 15:18
GAO: Iraq War Hurts Readiness
Equipment Failing at a Rate of 2 to 8 Times Faster
By GORDON LUBOLD
The war in Iraq is causing critical U.S. equipment platforms to fail and readiness levels to fall, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
Issued Oct. 26 by the U.S. Congress’ investigative arm, the report said the Defense Department should do a better job reporting its readiness issues to Congress and keep a better eye on critical equipment platforms that show signs of wartime wear and tear.
Unless the Pentagon addresses issues pertaining to these critical equipment platforms, it risks failing to meet its mission requirements, the study said.
Readiness rates have been declining since 1999, according to the report, and the slide has “occurred more markedly in fiscal years 2003 and 2004,” mainly from the continued high use of equipment to support current operations and “maintenance issues caused by the advancing ages and complexity of the systems.”
The report said that equipment is being used “two to eight times” higher than comparable peace-time rates. For example, the Army’s Bradley fighting vehicles have been used at six times their peacetime rates, the report said.
The increased use of equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan would come as no surprise to anyone. But it’s the long-term effects of the high operational tempo that concern many in and outside the Pentagon.
Despite billions in supplemental funding to pay for war costs over the last several years, the services will have much trouble re-equipping in the coming years.
One observer said the department may have begun to lose sight of just how much it’s digging itself into a hole.
“We’ve lost track of what the top line is,” said Andrew Krepinevich, executive director of the Center for Strat…
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