Government Audits of Defense Programs, Explained

Several offices audit United States defense programs. Each one reports up a different chain. The Government Accountability Office is the audit arm of Congress. According to its 2025 annual assessment, the Defense Department plans to invest nearly $2.4 trillion in its costliest weapon programs. The Pentagon's own Office of Inspector General audits the department from inside. Congress adds a third layer through law. The Nunn-McCurdy Act forces the department to report major cost overruns to its oversight committees. The machinery matters beyond the budget tables. New warships pass through this same oversight stack on the way to the fleet. The site's christening and delivery news follows that path. This guide to government audits of defense programs sits in the wider Government News section, beside the site's coverage of fleet events. Who Audits Defense Programs? Three auditors dominate the field. The GAO works for Congress. It publishes evidence reports at the request of lawmakers.

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