Operational and Live Fire Tests

The following learning objectives are covered in this lesson:

• Identify which organizations develop, coordinate, or approve Critical Operational Issues (COIs).
• Identify which organizations develop, coordinate, or approve Critical Technical Parameters (CTPs).
• Recognize how Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) and Measures of Suitability (MOS) are used throughout the T&E process.
• Recognize the purpose and objectives of Live Fire Test and Evaluation.
• Distinguish among various types of DT&E (e.g., Production Qualification Tests, Production Acceptance Test and Evaluation).

1. Developmental test and evaluation is essential in determining a system's readiness for initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E). The results of developmental testing are formally reviewed in an Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR) prior to proceeding with IOT&E.

• Critical Technical Parameters (CTPs) are key parameters and developmental testing criteria that are derived from the CDD, and from technical performance measures as specified by the System Engineering Plan. The CTPs are developed, coordinated and approved by the T&E IPT within the Program Management Office. Examples of CTPs are an aircraft's cruising speed, range and altitude.

2. Two types of developmental testing become important as a system nears and enters production:

• Production Qualification Testing (PQT) is conducted on a small number of initial production items to evaluate the effectiveness of the manufacturing process.
• Production Acceptance Testing and Evaluation (PAT&E) is conducted on items as a form of quality assurance to ensure that contractual obligations are being met.

3. Operational test and evaluation is conducted to determine if a system will successfully meet the user's capability needs.

• Critical Operational Issues (COIs) indicate the operational effectiveness and operational suitability needs of a system. They are expressed in the form of a question, developed by an independent operational test agency, and broken down into quantifiable MOEs and MOSs. An example of a COI is: "Does the aircraft accomplish its mission in the battlefield environment?"
• Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) are specific, objective measures of system performance that are closely related to mission accomplishment. An example of a MOE is: "Number of targets destroyed "
• Measures of Suitability (MOSs) are specific, objective measures of how well as system can be maintained and utilized by the end user. They are written and approved by an independent operational test agency. An example of a MOS is: "Aircraft Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)."

4. In summary, COIs are the primary operational issues that must be answered by the testing program, while MOEs and MOSs may be thought of as the quantifiable measures that can be used to determine whether the COIs have been addressed successfully. In turn, CTPs provide developmental test data that help support the MOEs and MOSs.

5. Under Public law (Title 10, US Code 2366), Live Fire Test and Evaluation is required for certain major systems before full rate production can begin:

• Survivability testing is required for "covered" systems that are occupied by personnel and designed to provide the personnel some degree of protection in combat situations.
• Lethality testing is required for all major munitions and missile programs to determine whether the weapon can reliably disable or destroy its target.

Live Fire Test and Evaluation results are sent to the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), acting as the OSD agent, who then reports them to Congress before a program can move forward beyond LRIP and on to full rate production.