Apache Helicopter: Serious Logistical Support Problems Must Be Solved to Realize Combat Potential: NSIAD-90-294

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's inability to maintain its intended 70-percent availability rate for the Apache helicopter, focusing on the: (1) causes of the low availability rates; (2) implications of low availability for combat operations; and (3) Army's corrective actions.
GAO found that: (1) 11 combat battalions fell short of meeting the Army's fully-mission-capable goal by only achieving a 50-percent rate from January 1989 through April 1990; (2) maintenance units could not keep up with the Apache's high logistic support demands, since they were too small and were hampered by Army management practices and since test equipment did not perform as needed; (3) combat operations would place greater demands on Apache availability and support due to high flying hours, frequent weapons firing, and battle damage; (4) testing did not fully disclose the Apache's serious logistical support problems because of narrowly defined performance measurements and the limited realism of test conditions; (5) logistical support problems identified before production were not resolved; and (6) the Army's planned corrective actions were likely to increase Apache availability during peacetime, but it will take several years before the reliability and test equipment improvements are demonstrated and completely corrected.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1287226345
• ISBN13: 9781287226345
• Release Date: July 2013
• Publisher: Bibliogov
• Length: 84 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 7.4" x 9.7"