Russian weapons destruction delayed

WASHINGTON, June 6 (UPI) -- Recalcitrant Russian subcontractors working on a Pentagon-funded chemical weapons destruction facility have delayed the project and increased its costs.

A new report from the Government Accountability Office says the facility at Shchuch'ye is at least three years behind schedule and more than $250 million over its $750 million budget.

The facility is meant to destroy 14 percent of the Russian chemical weapons stockpile, but recent construction has fallen behind schedule "due to difficulties working with Russian subcontractors."

The fresh delays have cost the Defense Department more than $3 million a month since October 2005 and the bill is expected to continue to mount until a crucial subcontract is awarded, possibly the month.

The GAO warns of further future delays: "Uncertain progress of Russian construction on the site, unpredictable Russian regulatory requirements, and various technical issues, such as testing the facility, could cause further schedule delays and increase costs."

Coming up with an accurate accounting of the cost to complete the facility is hamstrung by the Defense Department's flawed "earned value management" computer system, which the DOD cannot rely on for cost and schedule estimates because it is populated with inaccurate data, according to the GAO.

Russia is supposed to destroy its entire chemical weapons stockpile by 2012, but as of March had only destroyed 3 percent of the 40,000 metric tons of chemical weapons at two destruction facilities.

"To eliminate the remainder of its chemical weapons over the next six years, the Russian government must construct and operate five additional destruction facilities, including Shchuch'ye. The Russian government has indicated that it will need continued international assistance to destroy the remaining stockpile," states the GAO report, released last week.