Foreign Comparative Testing

Abstract

This program supports the Department's initiatives to Deter Aggression, Defend the Homeland, and Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage. The Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) Program increases Joint Force readiness and lethality by providing near-term solutions to existing and future Department of Defense (DoD) capability gaps by leveraging the Research & Development (R&D) investments of allied nations and coalition partners. The FCT Program Element (PE) evaluates prototypes derived from allied and partner nation technologies to provide the U.S. Armed Services, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Defense Agencies capabilities to counter emerging threats. The FCT’s broad reach across our allies and friendly foreign countries enables development of innovative, cost effective, and interoperable solutions to meet needs communicated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combatant Commanders. Military Services and USSOCOM jointly conduct FCT projects. FCT strengthens alliances by facilitating international collaboration and evaluating technologies that increase interoperability while serving as a catalyst for teaming and other business relationships between international and domestic industries. Partner nations recognize the long-term value of the "two-way street" for Defense procurements for which FCT provides an avenue. Numerous successful projects have resulted in the licensed production of a qualified foreign item in the United States, including the creation of jobs and contributions to local economies. To date, companies from 34 states have benefited from FCT projects. FCT supports DoD best practices by incentivizing the use of prototyping and experimentation in advancing technological solutions to warfighter problems and acts as a hedge against threat developments. FCT enhances affordability by reducing development costs and risk, accelerating acquisition timelines, and increasing competition. Through increasing Joint lethality and readiness, strengthening alliances, and delivering affordable performance on accelerated timelines, FCT supports all three lines of effort outlined in the National Defense Strategy, and supports the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) critical technology areas. Authorized by Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 2350a (g), the FCT program is managed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E), Mission Prototypes (MP) Office. Measurable Outcomes: -FCT projects will demonstrate capability objectives within 12-36 months. -Over its 41-year history, FCT has a transition rate of 59% (373 out of 637) for completed projects. Of the 373 projects that tested successful, 289 or 77% resulted in follow on procurements of over $12.025 billion.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0603133D8Z_3_0400_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding. Below Threshold Reprogramming of one million FY 2021 funding supported higher OSD directed priorities. \
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy
• Biomedical
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cognitive Systems Engineering
• Command And Control
• Control Systems
• Detection
• Directed Energy Weapons
• Ground Control Stations
• Military Aircraft
• Test And Evaluation
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Unmanned Systems
• Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
• Warfare
• Weapons Effects

Readers

• Defense Acquisition Program Management
• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• International Relations and European Studies

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control