Automatic Test Equipment Development

Mission — Test Equipment Development source

This project directly supports the Army's modernization priorities by enhancing the reliability and responsiveness of Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) across the lifecycle of critical weapon systems and combat support platforms. Focused on alignment with the PEO and Army Futures Command (AFC) initiatives, this effort accelerates the integration of advanced technologies including automation and reconfigurable open architectures, leveraging emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency into Army calibration systems. This will improve the speed and fidelity of system validation, contributing to enhanced warfighter lethality and readiness in increasingly contested environments. Specifically, the project develops and prototypes advanced calibration software and capabilities spanning signal measurement domains (DC to microwave), electro-optical, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN), as well as physical and mechanical parameters such as torque, pressure, and temperature. These advancements address critical capability gaps, ensuring the operational readiness and safety of Army systems while simultaneously reducing logistical burdens through minimized equipment footprints and improved deployability. By fostering early user feedback and iterative prototype development, this project informs future TMDE acquisitions, ensuring alignment with evolving operational needs in multi-domain operations and contributing to a data-centric approach to sustainment.

Mission — Diagnost/Expert Sys source

This Project funds development of system enhancements for the Maintenance Support Device (MSD). The MSD is a general-purpose automatic test system (ATS) that provides test and diagnostic capabilities required to support current and future weapons and combat support systems across the Cross-Functional Teams (CFTs) in the Army Futures Command (AFC) and will facilitate retirement of aging, obsolete and non-cyber secure test equipment that imposes increasing logistics and operations and support cost burdens. The MSD is the Army's standard at-system tester and requires continuing technology insertions to support modernization and emergence of the supported weapon systems. This Project funds development efforts to insert the most current relevant technology into the next generation MSD, supports capability enhancement of at-platform test adapters, develops and standardizes capabilities to minimize or eliminate Army dependence on expensive proprietary software to support tactical vehicles, and maintains compatibility with emerging platform hardware bus technology and software interface requirements. The Department of Defense has identified the need for Intermittent Fault Detection (IFD) testers to aid in the identification of intermittent faults in difficult to troubleshoot platforms, mitigate No Evidence of Failures (NEOF) to reduce unit costs of unnecessary line replaceable unit (LRU) requisitions, and improve unit operational readiness in support of multi-domain operations, large- scale combat operations and the Indo-Pacific Command which will be funded in part by this Project. The test and diagnostic systems and procedures developed under this Project are essential for ensuring the operational readiness, accuracy and effectiveness of the Army's warfighting systems. This Project funds the development of NGATS General Purpose Test Program Sets (TPS) to expand NGATS capabilities beyond the currently Fielded Abrams and Bradley systems while consolidating systems into a smaller logistics footprint by leveraging Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and providing a more cost effective and repairable capability to the Warfighter. This effort will lead to expanding the overall NGATS platform support capability while reducing the equipment that would have traditionally been fielded. The NGATS program will also look at reducing the footprint of the NGATS core station by modernizing to the new MOSA PXI standard to replace the older and larger VXI standard. Finally, the logistics package for the New Electro Optic NGATS capability will be developed to provide the Warfighter with a more modern and capable electro-optics test capability to keep pace the development of weapons systems optics enhancements. These efforts enhance Fix Forward capabilities in Denied Areas of Operation and align to support Large Scale Combat Operations.

Mission — Automatic Test Equipment Development source

This program element (PE) supports the development and testing of automatic test equipment, precision calibration instruments, general-purpose test equipment, state of-the-art diagnostics and prognostics technologies, and software and systems to support the increasingly complex electronic components of the Army's new and upgraded weapon systems focused on joint operations in a sophisticated multi-domain area of operation. It focuses on standardization and implementation of commercial test and diagnostic technologies across multiple weapon platforms to minimize the cost of troubleshooting and maintenance of Army equipment in the field. Funding supports modernization of the test equipment fleets by investigating technology insertions including, but not limited to, predictive and prognostic maintenance automated troubleshooting, Electronic Intermittent Fault Detection, instrument reduction/miniaturization, electro-mechanical, electro-optics (EO), radio frequency (RF), physical, radiological, chemical, and biological warfare sensor calibration support capabilities, and other emerging technologies. Funding also supports development of initial prototypes to enable refinement of Operational Requirements documented by Combatant Commands (COCOM), Program Executive Offices (PEO), Army Futures Command (AFC), Army Staff, US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), and early user feedback to support future sustainment and testing capabilities required for emerging weapons platforms. This PE also supports continued development and improvement of general-purpose test equipment and calibration standards with emphasis on the incorporation of digital electronics and tailoring of configurations to improve deployability, mobility and survivability of the support equipment. It includes development, demonstration and testing of calibration standards and techniques to support new Army test equipment requirements; and it provides for feasibility studies, market research, inventory analyses, bid sample testing and prototyping to support acquisition of calibration systems and general-purpose test and diagnostics equipment. The Department of Defense (DoD) has designated the Integrated Family of Test Equipment (IFTE), comprised of the Maintenance Support Device (MSD) and the Next Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS), as the authorized Army standard for field and sustainment maintenance. The MSD provides at-system automatic test and diagnostic support and the NGATS consolidates off-system automatic test and diagnostic equipment requirements. The IFTE systems being developed under this PE provide electronic fault isolation, diagnostic and repair capabilities at all levels of maintenance and do it more cost effectively than system-specific testers. They provide state-of-the-art test and diagnostic capabilities, reducing costs and logistics footprints while providing the Warfighter fix-forward capability for current and future weapon systems in multi-domain operations. The systems are designed to support the Cross-Functional Teams (CFT) in the Army Futures Command (AFC) as they mature in accordance with the DoD Automatic Test Systems strategy. The MSD is employed by more than thirty military occupational specialties to perform field level maintenance on approximately 70 weapon systems, including Abrams, Bradley, Stryker, aviation platforms, missile systems, and the Army's wheeled vehicle fleet. FY 2026 base funding continues incremental development of the Army's standard At-Platform Automatic Test System, MSD, which will enhance testing and diagnostic capability required by supported weapon systems. Funding supports tactical vehicle sustainment concepts, evaluates evolving weapon system diagnostic testing requirements, incorporates additional organic diagnostic software capabilities to troubleshoot weapon systems, and ensures data bus compatibility and readability with commercial technology. It evaluates and incorporates cyber security enhancements, including wireless capability, into at-platform diagnostic hardware and software. Funding also provides for market research, feasibility assessment, and interaction with supported weapon systems to determine most effective methodology for diagnostic software pathway to incorporate emerging At-Platform Predictive Logistics requirements. The FY 2026 funding will develop or significantly modify test equipment to satisfy modular force and homeland security support requirements that cannot be accommodated with test equipment currently available in the commercial marketplace such as RF and EO testing capability. It will also develop and test general-purpose test equipment and calibration standards to meet Army weapon system support requirements, and initiate development of enhanced diagnostic software and interfaces to support emerging maintenance concepts for Long Range Precision Fires, Next Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, and Air and Missile Defense. The funding will provide prototype test and evaluation of field level calibration and repair support for the Radiation Detection System (RDS) in response to Operational Needs Statement ONS 17-22580. The project resolves significant radiation measurement accuracy gaps throughout the Department of the Army operational areas and CONUS, and it provides for analysis of courses of action to incorporate additional intrinsic calibration instruments and general-purpose test equipment to reduce the maintenance hierarchy, increase calibration intervals, extend lifecycle reliability, and increase supportability across generational changes in weapon systems and weapon support systems technology. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.017 million for civilian personnel to optimize the workforce in compliance with Executive Order 14210, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative."

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (6)