9.3.3. Live Fire Test and Evaluation
9.3.3.1. Life Fire Test & Evaluation Objectives
LFT&E objectives provide a timely assessment of the vulnerability/lethality of a system as it progresses through its design and development, prior to full-rate production. In particular, LFT&E should:
- Provide information to decision-makers on potential user casualties, vulnerabilities, and lethality; taking into equal consideration susceptibility to attack and combat performance of the system.
- Ensure testing of the system under realistic combat conditions includes knowledge of user casualties and system vulnerabilities or lethality.
- Allow correction in design or employment of any design deficiency identified by T&E before proceeding BLRIP.
- Assess recoverability from battle damage and battle damage repair capabilities and issues.
Structure and schedule the LFT&E Strategy to incorporate any design changes resulting from testing and analysis before proceeding beyond LRIP.
9.3.3.2. Covered Systems
The DoD term for a “covered system” includes all categories of systems or programs requiring LFT&E. A "covered system" defines a system that DOT&E, acting for the SecDef, designates for LFT&E oversight. These systems include, but are not limited to, the following categories:
- Any major system within the meaning of that term in section 2302(5) of title 10 USC, including user-occupied systems and designed to provide some degree of protection to its occupants in combat; or
- A conventional munitions program or missile program; or a conventional munitions program planning to acquire more than 1,000,000 rounds (regardless of major system status); or
- A modification to a covered system likely to significantly affect the survivability or lethality of such a system.
9.3.3.3. Early Live Fire Test and Evaluation
DOT&E approves the adequacy of the LFT&E Strategy before the program begins LFT&E. LFT&E issues identified in the strategy should drive the program, and fully integrate it with planned DT&E and OT&E. LFT&E typically includes testing at the component, subassembly, and subsystem level; and may also draw upon design analyses, modeling and simulation, combat data, and related sources such as analyses of safety and mishap data. As a standard practice, this occurs regardless of whether the LFT&E program culminates with FUSL testing, or obtaining a waiver from FUSL testing. Conducting LFT&E early in the program life cycle allows time to correct any design deficiency demonstrated by the T&E. Where appropriate, the program manager may correct the design or recommend adjusting the employment of the covered system before proceeding beyond LRIP.
9.3.3.4. Full-Up, System-Level Testing and Waiver Process
DoD defines "full-up, system-level testing" as testing that fully satisfies the statutory requirement for "realistic survivability" or "realistic lethality testing," as defined in section 2366 of title 10 USC. The criteria for FUSL testing differs somewhat based on the type of testing: survivability or operational security or lethality. The following describes FUSL testing:
Vulnerability testing conducted using munitions likely to be encountered in combat on a complete system loaded or equipped with all the dangerous materials that normally would be on board in combat (including flammables and explosives), and with all critical subsystems operating that could make a difference in determining the test outcome; or
Lethality testing of production-representative munitions or missiles, for which the target is representative of the class of systems that includes the threat; and the target and test conditions are sufficiently realistic to demonstrate the lethality effects the weapon is designed to produce.
The statute requires a LFT&E program to include FUSL testing unless granted a waiver in accordance with procedures defined by the statute. To request a waiver, submit a waiver package to the appropriate Congressional defense committees prior to Milestone B; or, in the case of a system or program initiated at Milestone B, as soon as practicable after Milestone B; or if initiated at Milestone C, as soon as practicable after Milestone C. Typically, this should occur at the time of TEMP approval.
The waiver package includes certification by the USD(AT&L) or the DoD CAE that FUSL testing would prove unreasonably expensive and impractical. It also includes a DOT&E-approved alternative plan for conducting LFT&E in the absence of FUSL testing. Typically, the alternative plan appears similar or identical to the LFT&E Strategy contained in the TEMP. This alternative plan should include LFT&E of components, subassemblies, or subsystems; and, as appropriate, additional design analyses, M&S, and combat data analyses.
Programs receiving a waiver from FUSL testing conduct their plans as LFT&E programs (with exception of the statutory requirement for FUSL testing). In particular, the TEMP contains an LFT&E Strategy approved by DOT&E; and DOT&E, as delegated by the SecDef, submits an independent assessment report on the completed LFT&E to the Congressional committees as required by statute.
9.3.3.5. Personnel Survivability
LFT&E has a statutory requirement to emphasize personnel survivability for covered systems occupied by U.S. personnel (section 2366 of title 10 USC). In general, LFT&E addresses personnel survivability through dedicated MOEs, such as "expected casualties." Address the ability of personnel to survive even in cases where the platform cannot survive. If designated by DOT&E for survivability LFT&E oversight, the system or program should integrate the T&E to address crew survivability issues into the LFT&E program supporting the DOT&E LFT&E Report to Congress.
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