Air Force Development Test and Evaluation under Acquisition Reform

Acquisition Reform changed government involvement in system acquisition with transition to best commercial practices. Shortened acquisition timelines, reduced budgets and increased contractor test responsibilities intensifed several issues. These issues are test planning and execution capabilities, joint contractor and government test efficiency, and both government and industry test experience levels. Today's DTE methods are insufficient to successfully overcome increased system complexity, decreased test budgets, and reduced manpower challenges of the future. To meet these challenges, this project presents six test recommendations which enhance DTE contributions to the acquisition process. The six recommendations are: 1. Develop a single commercial industry standard governing military aviation testing. 2. Emphasize greater simulation configuration control and technological simulation advances, with software test and avionics integration simulation the highest priorities. 3. Refine the Integrated Test Team Concept to combine contractor, development, and operational test requirements in addition to innovative test program teaming. 4. Streamline development and operational test data requirements and allow contractor and development test personnel to supplement operational test teams. 5. Automate test planning and execution functions to reduce manpower investments. 6. Modify the Federal Aviation Administration Designated Engineering Representative concept to increase contractor test autonomy.