Test and Evaluation for Weapon Systems

Defense systems are complex and expensive and decision makers acquiring these systems aspire better value for money. As part of a procurement decision, test and evaluation (T&E) is conducted to assess if the system is meeting desired requirements. This chapter reviews the concepts in T&E for weapon systems in the navy and presents the process for its implementation. The authors point out the role of modeling and simulation and how to use them to support T&E. The review reveals that developmental and operational T&E can examine weapon systems requirements before their deployment, T&E process can effectively be implemented in six steps, and mission/capacity requirements must be decomposed into predefined evaluation criteria.