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...initiated point in the acquisition process continuum. Changes have been incorporated into the test and evaluation (T&E) process to support the increased flexibility. Judicious use of the various types of recognized tests allow the program manager (PM) to reduce risk and ensure performance expectations are met. The following provides an overview of the test tools available to the acquisition professional and highlights the evolutionary changes that were recently incorporated into Air Force test guidance.

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Headquarters Air Force/Test and Evaluation (HQ AF/TE) released a new test and evaluation instruction (Air Force Instruction [AFI] 99-103) on August 6, 2004. The release of AFI 99-103 corresponded with a rewrite of AFI 63-101, Capabilities Based Acquisition, April 1, 2004 (interim approval) and AFI 10-601, Capabilities Based Requirements Development, July 30, 2004, bringing all the instructions in line with direction found in Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Instructions (CJCSIs) 3170.01D (2003), Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System, and 6212.01C, Interoperability and Supportability of Information Technology and Nation Security Systems. Perhaps more importantly, the new AFI 99-103 (2004) incorporated evolutionary changes, reflecting the test and evaluation community's adaptations to the Air Force's implementation of the agile acquisition processes over the last decade. The instruction also poses a seamless verification process that fosters an integrated testing philosophy in an effort to streamline Test and Evaluation (T&E), much as the acquisition process itself is being streamlined.

This effort to integrate testing is born out by the fact that the new AFI 99-103 (2004) is itself a compilation of the former AFI 99-101 (1996), Developmental Test and Evaluation; AFI 99-102 (1998), Operational Test and Evaluation; and AFI 99-105 (1994), Live Fire Test and Evaluation. The following shows how the traditional T&E process supports the spiral acquisition philosophy, describes how the types of tests support the new acquisition philosophy, and highlights new test programs that facilitate technology transition to the warfighter.

TRADITIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION SUPPORT FOR SPIRAL ACQUISITION

Though the acquisition process has evolved along with the country itself, the structure for much of the modern acquisition processes was put in place by the McNamara reforms and remains fundamentally unchanged. This was done to reign in a system that was perceived as out-of-control, as evidenced by aircraft cost overruns that were as much as 100 percent after inflation adjustment toward the end of the Korean War (Harman, 1997). Standardized procedures and processes replaced those developed by services and individual program offices. Programs, especially major systems procurements, were expected to adhere rigorously to this process (shown in Figure 1). To progress through the process, a program had to pass through a series of well-defined gates, designed to minimize risk to the government. The program had to demonstrate its maturity by passing a series of tests...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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