BACKGROUND :
- The National Missile Defense (NMD) program is designed to develop and maintain the option to deploy an NMD system if the need arises. The (NMD) mission is to provide the United States protection against limited ballistic missile attacks.
- The NMD program structure includes system development followed by a multi-phased incremental deployment leading to an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) as defined in the current Operational Requirements Document (ORD).
- The NMD JPO will perform an Integrated Systems Test of an initial NMD capability during early spring 1999 and, if the threat warrants, deploy that system with an Initial Operational Capability as early as 2005.
- The NMD system consists of space and ground-based sensors, ground-based interceptors, and associated Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications (BMC3) capability.
- The mission functions include detection, discrimination, tracking, engagement, interception, and destruction of ballistic missile threats.
JITC OBJECTIVES :
- The objective of this effort is to assist in assessing whether the systems that make up the NMD can, when acting in concert, interoperate effectively across the spectrum of threats, environments, deployments, and contingency options.
- A key element of the JITC's approach to conducting an interoperability evaluation of the NMD system is to assess user-to-user interoperability as well as technical interoperability.
JITC’S EFFORT:
- Comprehensive Evaluation Concept. Interoperability assessments address the equipment, procedures, and people relationships depicted in the following figure.
- This concept yields a comprehensive interoperability evaluation beyond traditional technical interoperability testing. It also targets the interdependence of equipment, procedures, and people for effective information exchange and defeat of the ballistic missile threat.
- Any concept that focuses on these individual areas in isolation ignores their interdependence and yields an inaccurate evaluation.
- This comprehensive evaluation concept spans the entire operational as well as technical spectrum. Because of this, the OTA Team's Interoperability Team, chaired by JITC, analyzes data collected by the Suitability and Effectiveness Teams in addition to the data the Interoperability Team collects.
- JITC shares the NMD Operational Test Agency (OTA) Team Tri-Chair duties with the Army Test and Evaluation Command and the Air Force Operational Test Center. The OTA Team will conduct an Early Operational Assessment of the NMD system during 1999 and provide those results in support of DOD's NMD Deployment Readiness Review.
- JITC chairs the NMD OTA Team's Interoperability Team and is conducting the BMC3 architecture operational assessment and NMD system interoperability evaluation.
- JITC also serves as a Tri-Chair of the Core Planning Team.
MILESTONES:
- Integrated Ground Test-3 (2Q FY99)
- Integrated Ground Test-4 (4Q FY99)
- Integrated Flight Test-3 (1Q FY00)
- Integrated Ground Test-5 (1Q FY00)
- Integrated Flight Test-4 (2Q FY00)
- Integrated Flight Test-5 (2Q FY00)
- Integrated Ground Test-6 (2Q FY00)
- Deployment Readiness Review (3Q FY00)
CURRENT STATUS :
- Participated in Integrated Flight Tests (IFT), Integrated Ground Tests (IGT), Wargames, User Assessments, Test Evaluation Master Plan development, and a myriad of test planning, execution, and analysis activities.
- Assisted US Space Command develop their Critical Operational Issues
- Developed the Measures of Effectiveness and Performance,
- Developed test and evaluation methodologies required to assess the NMD's potential operational effectiveness and suitability.
- Supported OTA Team's Assessment Plan development. The plan will serve as the guide for NMD operational assessments and interoperability tests. This plan will also guide OTA Team Test Event Assessment Plans.
- Developing the Early Operational Assessment report to support the Deployment Readiness Review.
POINT OF CONTACT :
For more information, contact : Commercial (520) 538-5576, DSN 879-5576, e-mailReturn to Index
