Naval test equipment, following in the shadow of the weapons systems

Abstract

The need for a rigorous testing program is, in fact, greater today than in the past. Weapons systems. are considerably more complex than in the 1970s. These systems are also much more capable and greater reliance is placed on each individual weapon each firing. One shot, one kill is now a requirement. The long draw down on US DoD funding has had an effect on weapon system readiness and an equally significant effect on the test equipment used to support the weapon systems. The test equipment is facing many of the same challenges as the weapons systems themselves. The cost of maintaining the test equipment is going up rapidly as obsolescence issues grow. Personnel familiar with the equipment are leaving or retiring and replacing them is increasingly difficult. Test equipment support is often cut to meet program funding reductions. The recent increase in defense spending has yielded some hope of improvement in the state of test equipment. The future of legacy test equipment remains unclear. This paper presents a broad overview of test equipment used to support US Navy production programs. The state of the test systems, the challenges of supporting the test systems, and some of the solutions used are covered.