Operational Test and Evaluation Capability

Mission — Operational Test & Eval Capability source

This program is funded under RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST and EVALUATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT because it supports efforts directed toward sustaining or modernizing facilities and conducting operations required for general research, development, test and evaluation. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, OPTEVFOR serves as the Service Operational Test Agency for the Navy and for Marine Corps Aviation. In addition to the headquarters element, OPTEVFOR includes a Fleet-scheduling detachment in San Diego, a detachment supporting the Joint Strike Fighter, and the US Operational Test Team at Nellis, Air Force Base (AFB), NV. There are four Navy and Marine Corps Squadrons that conduct OT&E under the direction of the OPTEVFOR Director. Air Test and Evaluation Squadron ONE (VX-1), located at Patuxent River, MD, is under the administrative control of Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic. Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE (VX-9), located at China Lake, CA, is under the administrative control of Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific. Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron ONE (VMX-1), located at Yuma, AZ is administratively aligned under the Deputy Commandant for Aviation. Marine Helicopter Squadron ONE (HMX-1), located at Quantico, VA, responsible for OT of aircraft assigned for Presidential transport. OPTEVFOR utilizes a competency- and warfare-aligned organizational structure to apply rigorous scientific and technical methods within mission-based evaluations of complex systems and capabilities being delivered to the Fleet. OPTEVFOR's Warfare Divisions are responsible for delivering test documents ready for the Director's signature and executing adequate operational test and evaluation (OT&E) for Naval systems and reporting defendable conclusions about capabilities potentially being fielded. They are supported by Competency Divisions, who ensure the product meets technical requirements, and DoN and OPTEVFOR standards. There are six warfare divisions: Undersea Warfare (40), Air Warfare (50), Information Warfare (60), Surface Warfare (70), Expeditionary Warfare (80), and Advanced Programs (90). Each warfare division is led by a Navy Captain as the Division Director with a senior civil servant as the Deputy; or led by a senior civil servant with a Navy Captain/Commander as the Deputy. There are four competency divisions: Policy, Operations, and Training (01A); Test Design and Analysis (01B); Test Planning and Evaluation (01C); and Cybersecurity Testing (01D). In addition, the Technical Director (00TD) supports all divisions on technical aspects of the test products. Operations and business support divisions include the Staff Commanding Officer and Administration (10), Chief Information Officer (CIO) (20), Contracts (01K), and the Comptroller (30).

Mission — Cyberspace Activities source

This project funds the civilian salaries and supports associated maintenance and sustainment of cyber hygiene and resiliency of network infrastructure, as well as enterprise IT services for OPTEVFOR operational support networks. Additionally, these funds ensure the hardware and software required to maintain is in compliance with cybersecurity directives that support command operations as required. The Cyber Pure funding under this project directly supports the Assessment & Authorization (A&A) of OPTEVFOR IT systems and the monthly patching and scanning, and reauthorization required for continuous monitoring.

Mission — OPTEVFOR Support source

This program element (PE) provides OPTEVFOR general support funding for headquarters annual operating expenses and ensures OPTEVFOR compliance with Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) directives during the conduct of independent operational testing and evaluation (OT&E). This funding supports planning, testing, and reporting on the operational effectiveness, suitability, and cyber survivability of new and improved systems and recommending Fleet usage to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Funding also supports initiatives (including the manpower to execute) that improve OPTEVFOR's ability to develop "minimum, adequate" test strategies maximizing efficiencies and minimizing assets/time required to conduct planned operational testing, thereby driving down overall T&E costs for the Navy. The CNO, as well as acquisition executives and managers at all levels, have a continuing need for expeditious and efficient OT&E to make decisions on providing new/upgraded warfighting capabilities to the Fleet. To this end, this funding supports OPTEVFOR's continued pursuit of a variety of initiatives aimed at increasing efficiencies in T&E. These initiatives include the development of organizational level metrics that align with and inform North Star performance; develop IT infrastructure to enable/support planning/testing/analyzing/reporting to address data needs and venues for multiple stakeholders; maximize leverage of operational test data collection opportunities while ensuring OT insight is provided with agility to Fleet and Acquisition decision makers across the DON Enterprise; reduce data collection burden through streamlined development of measures and data requirements during Mission Based Test Design (MBTD). All of these initiatives improve the quality of OT&E, thus ensuring adequate test of combat systems prior to delivery to Fleet units. Issues discovered by OT&E have direct, long-term, Navy-wide implications on the Fleet's readiness and warfighting capability. Rapid advances in technology, changes in fleet tactics, and increased complexity of weapons systems and platforms have increased the need for technical and operational analyses that are sophisticated and timely in order to ensure an optimal return on investment of Navy resources.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)