Test and Evaluation: The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation's Role in Test Resources

Until recently, the Director had major responsibilities chairing a committee that planned, programmed, and budgeted for development test resources. As a result, the legislatively mandated independence and separation that must exist between development and operational testing was at risk. While this committee was recently disestablished, the Department of Defense DOD is considering a new structure. We believe the Director should function as an adviser-not an officer or member-for any future committee or council that plans, programs, and budgets for development test resources. Using early operational assessments, which help to determine whether weapon systems are ready for operational testing, is within DOTEs mission because the assessments offer advice to the DOD acquisition decisionmakers. Although these assessments rely primarily on development and not operational test data, they can be useful in filling a void when actual operational test results are not available. However, these assessments are not substitutes for actual OTE and the basis for developing the assessments should be fully disclosed to avoid misunderstanding as to their nature and use.