Weapons Testing: DOD Needs to Plan and Conduct More Timely Operational Tests and Evaluation
NSIAD-90-107
Published: May 17, 1990. Publicly Released: May 17, 1990.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed how the Department of Defense (DOD) could better perform operational testing and evaluation (OT&E) before starting production of weapons systems.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To strengthen DOD reaffirmation of the proper role of OT&E as a key internal control in the systems acquisition process made through the Defense Management Review initiatives, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that DOD acquisition and testing directives currently under revision clearly establish the need for OT&E before production start-up. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD issued directives on February 23, 1991. Although this guidance considers GAO recommendations, it does not mandate early OT&E. Instead, it only mandates OT&E before the full-rate production decision.
|
| Department of Defense | To strengthen DOD reaffirmation of the proper role of OT&E as a key internal control in the systems acquisition process made through the Defense Management Review initiatives, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that DOD acquisition and testing directives currently under revision define when OT&E must occur and when it may be appropriate for decisionmakers to rely on operational assessments in lieu of OT&E for production start-up decisions, as GAO previously recommended in a May 1989 report. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD issued directives on February 23, 1991. Although this guidance considers GAO recommendations, it does not mandate early OT&E. Instead, it only mandates OT&E before the full-rate production decision. Further, the guidance does not state when it may be appropriate for decisionmakers to rely on operational assessments.
|
| Department of Defense | To strengthen DOD reaffirmation of the proper role of OT&E as a key internal control in the systems acquisition process made through the Defense Management Review initiatives, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that DOD acquisition and testing directives currently under revision require the services to plan for and conduct earlier OT&E. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD issued directives on February 23, 1991. Although this guidance considers the recommendation, it does not mandate early OT&E. Instead, it only mandates OT&E before the full-rate production decision.
|
| Department of Defense | To strengthen DOD reaffirmation of the proper role of OT&E as a key internal control in the systems acquisition process made through the Defense Management Review initiatives, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that DOD acquisition and testing directives currently under revision ensure that acquisition strategies for major weapon systems require that system or subsystem prototypes be built, where practical, and that those prototypes be operationally tested before production start-up. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD issued directives on February 23, 1991. Although this guidance considers the recommendation, it does not mandate the use of prototypes. Instead, it only encourages using system and subsystem prototypes whenever possible.
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Topics
ConcurrencyDefense cost controlDefense procurementInternal controlsProduct evaluationProduction engineeringQuality controlTestingWeapons research and developmentWeapons systems