Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E)

Abstract

This Program Element consists of three programs: Joint Live Fire (JLF), Joint Aircraft Survivability Program (JASP), and Joint Technical Coordinating Group for Munitions Effectiveness (JTCG/ME). This Program Element directly supports the Congressional statutory requirements for oversight of LFT&E. The primary objective of LFT&E is to assure that the vulnerability and survivability of Department of Defense (DoD) crew-carrying platforms and the lethality of our conventional munitions are known and acceptable before entering full-rate production. LFT&E encompasses realistic tests involving actual U.S. and foreign threat hardware or, if not available, acceptable surrogate threat hardware. The objective is to identify and correct design deficiencies early in the development process. A completed LFT&E program and test report is required before programs proceed beyond low-rate initial production (BLRIP). LFT&E also includes realistic modeling and simulation (M&S) to examine survivability and lethality attributes not assessed during testing. This Program Element supports the DoD’s JLF Program, initiated in 1984 under an Office of the Secretary of Defense charter to test fielded front-line combat aircraft and armor systems for their vulnerabilities as well as fielded weapons, both U.S. and foreign, for their lethality against their respective targets. Funds are also used to support other initiatives related to quick reaction requests from theater and other areas of personnel survivability. Through its evolution, the JLF program also facilitates the development of adequate LFT&E tools, methods, and infrastructure required for credible development of both, Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manuals (JMEM) weaponeering tools and LFT&E programs. JASP is the DoD’s focal point for joint service enhancement of military aircraft non-nuclear survivability. The JASP is chartered by the Commander of the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology), and the Commander of the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to increase the affordability, readiness, and effectiveness of tri-Service aircraft through joint coordination and development of survivability technologies, design tools, and assessment methodologies. The JASP coordinates and conducts RDT&E to improve military aircraft survivability, develop and standardize aircraft survivability M&S, facilitate information exchange on aircraft survivability, and support aircraft survivability education for the DoD and U.S. aircraft community. Each chartering command provides a senior aircraft survivability expert for the JASP Principal Members Steering Group, which guides the program and approves projects for funding. The JASP assesses and reports on combat damage incidents through the Joint Combat Assessment Team (JCAT). JTCG/ME was chartered to serve as DoD’s focal point for munitions effectiveness information. The JTCG/ME produces Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manuals (JMEMs) that are the sole source for all joint Service authenticated non-nuclear weapons effectiveness data and methodology for the DoD. The JMEMs are the “how to” manuals for putting ordnance on target and as such, directly impacts combat readiness, effectiveness, and survivability. JMEMs are used by the warfighters in operational weaponeering and collateral damage estimation (CDE) calls in direct support of operations, mission planning, and training; by the DoD, joint, and Service planners in force-on-force M&S, mission area analysis, requirements studies, and weapon procurement planning; and by the Service acquisition community in performance assessment, analysis of alternatives, and survivability enhancement studies. The JTCG/ME continually evolves weapons effectiveness and target vulnerability data, standards, methodologies, and processes based on the strategic environment for better munitions effectiveness evaluation and support to a more lethal force. JTCG/ME also increases efficiency by leveraging ongoing DoD efforts and supporting the DoD's intent to complement U.S. interest and capabilities by providing weaponeering and targeting capability to coalition partners. The JMEM requirements and development processes are driven by operational lessons learned (e.g., Inherent Resolve, Resolute Support, and Freedom Sentinel); Joint Staff data calls, and the needs of combatant commands (CCMDs), the Services, the Military Targeting Committee (MTC) guided by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5140.01, Munitions Requirements Process - DoD Instruction 3000.04 and Operational Users Working Groups (OUWGs) input for specific weapon-target pairings and methodologies. Considerable effort goes into these user forums to establish warfighter requirements for current and future JTCG/ME products, as well as continued training events and day-to-day support - all with the goal of enabling greater force lethality, strengthened partner capabilities, and optimal use of resources. This Program Element also includes funds to obtain Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) expertise in performing analyses in support of described LFT&E tasks, as well as travel funds to carry out the JLF, JASP, and JTCG/ME programs.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 0605131OTE_6_0460_PB_2025
• Change Summary Explanation: Transfer of funds from R-1 Program Element 0605118OTE to 0605131OTE ($2.524M) for the better alignment of resource execution, and continuing efforts from prior year Congressional adds in test capability acceleration for areas of electromagnetic spectrum, hypersonic, space systems, and data management innovations.
• Service Agency Name: Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Operational Test and Evaluation Force

Tags

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Munitions and Ordnance Engineering