Operational Test Activities and Analyses
Abstract
The Operational Test Activities and Analyses (OTA&A) programs are continuing efforts that provide management and oversight functions, as well as updates to T&E policy and directives to the Department of Defense (DOD). OTA&A programs focus on broad scopes of the weapons systems integration to joint-warfighting and national defense agencies environment; policy, and strategy updates; evolving T&E methodology changes; and data-based integration efforts to align with the DOD acquisition community’s digital transition. The OTA&A programs consist of four activities: Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E); Test and Evaluation Threat Resource Activity (TETRA); Center for Countermeasures (CCM); and Strategic Initiatives, Policy, and Emerging Technology (SIPET). JT&E projects are T&E activities conducted in a joint military environment that develop process improvements. These multi-Service projects, chartered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and coordinated with the Joint Staff, CCMDs, and the Services, provide non-materiel solutions that improve the following: joint interoperability of Service systems, technical and operational concepts, joint operational issues, development and validation of joint test methodologies, and test data for validating models, simulations, and test beds. New projects are also encouraged to align their efforts to support the National Defense Strategy (NDS). The JT&E projects address relevant joint warfighting issues in a joint test and evaluation environment by developing and providing new tactics, techniques, and procedures to improve joint capabilities and methodologies. TETRA, based on a memorandum of agreement between the DOT&E and the Defense Intelligence Agency, provides DOT&E support in the areas of threat resource analysis, intelligence support and threat systems investments. As DOT&E’s agent, TETRA provides threat resource analyses on the availability, capabilities and limitations of threat representations (threat simulators, targets, models, U.S. surrogates, and foreign materiel) and analysis of test resources used for operational testing to support DOT&E’s assessment of the adequacy of testing for those programs designated for oversight by DOT&E and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Acquisition and Sustainment. TETRA provides DOT&E action officers and other DOT&E activities with program-specific threat intelligence support. TETRA also funds management, oversight, and the actual development of common-use threat specifications for threat simulators, threat representative targets, and digital threat models used for T&E. CCM, a Joint Service Countermeasure (CM) T&E activity, directs, coordinates, supports, and conducts independent CM/counter-CM T&E activities of U.S. and foreign weapon systems, subsystems, sensors, and related components. CCM accomplishes this work in support of DOT&E, weapon system developers, and the Services. CCM’s testing and analyses directly supports evaluations of the operational effectiveness and suitability of CM/counter-CM systems, such as aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) used on rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. CCM’s support of the T&E of ASE enables the survivability of aircraft in a high threat environment to enable mission success. In addition, CCM provides test support for directed energy weapons (DEW) and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) programs. CCM improves Service member exercises, training, and pre-deployment activities with expertise in CM/counter-CM technology and capabilities. CCM deployed specialized instrumentation to collect threat weapon data for threat model development in support of M&S evaluation efforts. Also, cooperative allied efforts are supported in the areas of ASE T&E, DEW T&E, and threat M&S development. This Program element also consists of SIPET, initiated in 2021 to codify and implement strategy and policy to keep pace with science and technology to modernize T&E tools, processes, infrastructure, and workforce. The core of the SIPET mission is to drive continuous innovation to meet the T&E demands of the future using five strategic pillars: Pillar 1: Test the way we fight Pillar 2: Accelerate the delivery of weapons that work Pillar 3: Improve the survivability of DoD in a contested environment Pillar 4: Pioneer T&E of weapon systems built to change over time Pillar 5: Foster an agile and enduring T&E Enterprise Workforce.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2025
- Source ID
- 0605814OTE_6_0460_PB_2025
- Change Summary Explanation
- Transfer of funds from R-1 Program Element 0605118OTE to 0605814OTE ($43.445M) for the better alignment of resource execution in continuing efforts from prior year Congressional adds in test capability acceleration for areas of direct energy, space systems, targets, artificial intelligence/autonomous systems, and data management innovations.
- Service Agency Name
- Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense
Entities
Organizations
- Operational Test and Evaluation Force
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