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"When you get into these newer commodity areas like unmanned ground systems and aerial systems, that adds to the challenge because we have to learn a new technology, maybe something we've never tested before. "We've always got to have a reasonable cost, do testing on time and provide a quality product to the customer," he said. Keeping costs down for test customers is a key objective of the command, Johnson said, noting that DTC is constantly tackling the challenge of reducing costs to customers. Rapid acquisition is not the only issue DTC is working to address. "We're seeing how the equipment is operating, and we're providing expert advice to the Soldiers who are operating that equipment. "Because we are not getting to do as much testing as we would necessarily like on this end, we are sort of catching up to the equipment out in the field," he said. The command also deploys testers to the theater of operations to help the Army Test and Evaluation Command assess how systems perform there, Johnson said. Instead of issuing a "pass/fail" report for many of the systems the Army needs, ATEC provides reports on their capabilities and limitations.

So we know fairly well how systems are going to behave in Iraq or Afghanistan."ĭeveloping test reports for acquisition program managers and Army evaluators also has become a speedier process. "For some of the rapid acquisition programs, we have left out testing in the cold, for instance, and left out the tropics. "In a traditional program, we would test in a hot, cold and tropical environment, and maybe do a lot of other environmental testing," he said. James Johnson, DTC executive director, said test and evaluation to support rapid fielding of both manned and unmanned systems have been streamlined in recent years. Robotic systems that can save lives on the battlefield are getting into Soldiers' hands more rapidly than ever before, and the Army Developmental Test Command is transforming its business practices to support that effort. Army has traditionally acquired weapon systems through a process that can take several years, but the ongoing fight in Afghanistan and Iraq has shortened the time frame considerably. (Army News Service, April 20, 2009) - The U.S.