3 Testing: The Bridge to Success for the New Science and Technology Strategy

Chedister, Robert W., McNair Papers

ABSTRACT

The Department of Defense (DOD) began a new strategy in 1992 for exploiting technology by focusing on Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATD) to prove military utility and technological maturity before beginning new weapon system development programs. DOD test personnel are key supports for bridging the gaps between new technologies and military utility in the recommended actions.

**********

In early 1992, the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) embarked on a new Defense Science and Technology Strategy. (1) The new strategy seeks to exploit new technologies by focusing DOD efforts along specific thrust areas and by demonstrating the military utility and maturity of new technologies before they enter the formal DOD acquisition process. A central tenet of this new strategy is the use of ATDs to assess military utility and technological maturity before proceeding into development and procurement. How DOD test organizations and test personnel can help bridge the gap between proposed new technologies and demonstrations of military utility with ATDs is the question answered in this chapter.

Test and Evaluation in the New Strategy

Test and evaluation (T&E) in defense system development and acquisition is structured to give decisionmakers data and analysis to help them manage the cost, schedule, and performance risks involved in developing a new weapon system. Test and evaluation is a technical management tool for measuring a system's progress on its journey from design board into users' hands. (2) When a new system is being developed, it is tested and evaluated against design specifications to insure that it can do what it is supposed to do. This is the "developmental test and evaluation" (DT&E) phase of a program. …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: 3 Testing: The Bridge to Success for the New Science and Technology Strategy. Contributors: Chedister, Robert W. - Author. Journal title: McNair Papers. Issue: 20-22 Publication date: August 1993. Page number: 29. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 1993 Gale Group.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.