Weapons Testing: Quality of DoD Operational Testing and Reporting
Abstract
In 1983, the Congress established the office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) to effect reforms concerning operational testing. Prominent among the reform objectives were independent oversight and coordination of the military services' planning and execution of operational tests, and objective reporting of those results to decisionmakers in the DoD and the Congress. A fundamental congressional concern was that weapons were not being tested thoroughly or realistically and that complete and accurate information was not being disseminated. The GAO was asked to address two evaluation questions: 1) What is the methodological adequacy of OT&E under DOT&E oversight, and 2) what is the quality of DOT&E dissemination of information to the Congress? We reviewed relevant documentation on the OT&E of six weapons systems, as well as congressional testimony, DOD regulations, and outside literature on the conduct and reporting of testing and evaluation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196262
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office