Weapon Systems Testing: DOD Needs to Update Policies to Better Support Modernization Efforts

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DOD) identified test and evaluation modernization as a crucial part of its effort to get capabilities to warfighters faster. DOD organizations, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the military departments, have undertaken modernization planning efforts with varying areas of focus and levels of detail. Nonetheless, these plans share themes, including the use of digital engineering tools and highly skilled workforces.

The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) analysis of DOD-wide test and evaluation policies found they were not fully consistent with selected leading practices for product development as applied to test and evaluation: involve testers early, conduct iterative testing, use digital twins and threads, and obtain user feedback iteratively. These policies contained some tenets of the leading practices, particularly for the software acquisition and urgent capability acquisition pathways. However, these leading practices were largely not reflected for programs in the major capability acquisition and middle tier of acquisition pathways, which make up the majority of DOD spending on weapon systems acquisition.