NSIAD-96-129 Defense Ammunition: Significant Problems Left Unattended Will Get Worse

The military services have over 5 million tons of conventional ammunition, explosives, and missiles (hereafter referred to as ammunition) valued at about $80 billion as of September 30,1994. This ammunition, if loaded onto railroad cars, would stretch over 800 miles-the distance from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Florida. Because of concerns about the condition and readiness of this ammunition, the Chairmen, Subcommittee on Military Readiness and Subcommittee on Military Procurement, House Committee on National Security, asked GAO to determine (1) whether the ammunition stockpile meets wartime and peacetime requirements and (2) what problems the Army single manager has in managing much of the military services' ammunition stockpile.