To enhance the capacity and safety of the national airspace system, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), within the Department of Transportation, is acquiring 74 Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems (STARS). STARS will replace some outdated air traffic control equipment. Since 1996, when FAA initiated this major computer hardware and software acquisition, the scope and estimated costs of STARS have changed many times. FAA now estimates that STARS's remaining costs will total about $2.54 billion. GAO was asked to assess the reliability of FAA's life-cycle cost estimate for STARS, determine the impact of STARS's estimated costs on future FAA budgets, and identify any alternatives to STARS that FAA is considering. GAO based its analysis on published FAA cost data and the guidance FAA uses for managing major acquisitions.
National Airspace System: Better Cost Data Could Improve FAA's Management of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System
2003
30 pages
Report
No indication
English
Air Transportation , Computer Hardware , Computer terminals , Air traffic control , National airspace system , Computer hardware , Acquisitions , Computer software , Life cycle costs , Cost estimates , Recommendations , Cost data , Congressional reports , Airports , Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems(STARS) , Federal Aviation Administration