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US agencies have spent $86m on grounded surveillance plane, audit says | US agencies have spent $86m on grounded surveillance plane, audit says |
(35 minutes later) | |
An $86m Drug Enforcement Administration plane purchased seven years ago to fly surveillance and counter-narcotics missions in Afghanistan remains grounded in the US and will probably never fly in Asia, according to a scathing audit released on Wednesday by the Justice Department’s inspector general. | |
The review, which was spurred by a July 2014 whistleblower’s report, found that the Global Discovery program to modify the ATR 42-500 aircraft to provide the DEA with advanced surveillance capabilities was supposed to be completed in December 2012. But it has been plagued by missteps costing the agencies $86m, or four times the initial estimated cost. The project was part of an agreement with the Defense Department. | The review, which was spurred by a July 2014 whistleblower’s report, found that the Global Discovery program to modify the ATR 42-500 aircraft to provide the DEA with advanced surveillance capabilities was supposed to be completed in December 2012. But it has been plagued by missteps costing the agencies $86m, or four times the initial estimated cost. The project was part of an agreement with the Defense Department. |
The report said it was unlikely the plane will ever fly in Afghanistan because the DEA has ceased aviation operations there. | The report said it was unlikely the plane will ever fly in Afghanistan because the DEA has ceased aviation operations there. |
“Our findings raise serious questions as to whether the DEA was able to meet the operational needs for which its presence was requested in Afghanistan,” the review said. | “Our findings raise serious questions as to whether the DEA was able to meet the operational needs for which its presence was requested in Afghanistan,” the review said. |
The DEA said in a statement that it agreed it “can and should provide better oversight of its operational funding” and was reviewing its policies and procedures. | The DEA said in a statement that it agreed it “can and should provide better oversight of its operational funding” and was reviewing its policies and procedures. |
The drug agency spent $8.5m on parts for the plane, “the majority of which cannot be used on any other aircraft in its fleet”, and the Defense Department built a $2m hangar in Afghanistan for the plane that was never used and probably never will be, the report said. | |
The plane, which has missed every scheduled delivery date, is now estimated to be completed in June – nearly one year after the DEA pulled out of Afghanistan. The report said the DEA intends to fly the plane in the Caribbean, Central America and South America. | The plane, which has missed every scheduled delivery date, is now estimated to be completed in June – nearly one year after the DEA pulled out of Afghanistan. The report said the DEA intends to fly the plane in the Caribbean, Central America and South America. |
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