Philosophy of Master Planned Test and Evaluation .

Abstract

Tcst aJd cvaluation, in somc form or the othcr, has always hccn a major component of the development anfll operation t>rogrammcs relating to major defcnce $y£tems. 'l'hc traditional procc£s is ba,sed on a largely unaccountable and non-inheritable process in which professionalism is thought to b~ sufficient to ensure that the programmes /lchieve performance targets. After years of evolution, the U~ Congress legislated arounU 1983, f~r the 'mastcr-planncd tcst and cvaluation' process to be used under compulsion of law. This much impr"ved test and evaluation process is outlined using a major defende procurement failurelthat of the seventeenth century warship the 'Vasa'-as a case study to highlight the main features of the test and evaluation mast~r-planned (TEMP) method. I INTR6DUCTION unsyitability. Vasa is chosen, as it serves as a goodIn the deNelopment and .operation of large case study. A brief account is diven regarding the technical systeks, ~xtensi~e use is always m ade of acquisi~ion record of the Vasa to illustrate features testing and other means to lobtain data on the basis of the process that are relcvant even today. This .I. of which system performance, delivery and ~ost will build up the reasons why thejmaster-planned can be assessed. In recent times, there has been approach offers greater control over the systems renewed interes~ in deyelopment and applica.tion of engineering process land how it drives towards the morc rcliablc mclhodologics that usc a spcciric maximum that all systcms dcvclopcrs and uscrs philosophy for I conducling test and evaluation chase today: 'mor~ performance for I~s's cost and (T&E) to impr~ve the system development and in less time'. operation proce~s.! This is best described as the master-planned approach to T &E and is intended to 2. be a tutorial staiement only..