International, Multi-Service Tests and Best Practices of Weapon Systems
International test and evaluation (IT&E) programs benefit the United States and its allied partners by allowing them to access facilities and environments to achieve joint force and coalition operational realism, sharing data, costs, and T&E technologies. Conducting international tests allow the weapons system to be tested in its operational environments and ensure it can perform as expected. International testing improves interoperability among the coalition and joint forces as they will have an opportunity to test the equipment using their test protocols and determine its usability before purchase. Costs can be reduced when there are different nations interested in the system. All nations can share costs, data, test planning, conduct, analysis, and reporting.
Multi-service tests are conducted by two different DoD components. This is vital as it ensures a weapons system to be used by two components can interface properly with both components. The testing will be carried out by all the components and they will also be involved in the planning, conducting, evaluating, and reporting. This multi-service test will confirm the weapon system can be used by all the components and it can be integrated with other components before it is acquired.
Best practices offer improvements in the way the DoD develops new weapon systems allowing it to reduce its overall production, operational, and support costs (Doughert, 2018). Using best practices, the DoD can make improvements to weapon systems requirements policy, which will lay down the requirements and agreed on procedures for acquiring new weapons systems. By following the best practices weapons systems acquisition costs can be lowered and the military can manage to divert its weapon system costs to other areas where it is much needed. Best practices entail reducing the total ownership cost of some of its major weapon systems. This model will allow the DoD to incorporate reasonable operating and support costs into its product development process, which will in turn reduce its overall operational costs.
References
Doughert, G. M. (2018). PROMOTING DISRUPTIVE MILITARY INNOVATION: Best Practices for DoD EXPERIMENTATION and PROTOTYPING PROGRAMS. Defense Acquisition Research Journal: A Publication of the Defense Acquisition University, 25(1).
