Developing Statistically Defensible Propulsion System Test and Evaluation Techniques
Abstract
Acquisition of military hardware typically proceeds from design, development, production, and finally to operational use and support. Prior to the full-rate production, both developmental and operational test and evaluation (DT&E and OT&E respectively) must occur to ensure that the system meets military requirements. The United States Air Force (USAF) is continually looking for ways to improve its test and evaluation techniques. Since 1997, Air Combat Command (ACC) has been successfully using Design of Experiments (DOE) to construct and analyze operational test efforts. This paper highlights recent efforts to pursue statistically defensible test techniques to aid developmental test efforts. Defensible testing is a statistical approach similar to DOE but emphasizes the need for better test planning by: insistence on understanding the system under test; requiring clear and achievable test objectives; ensuring system performance is measurable; requiring that instrumentation accuracy and uncertainty propagation are well understood; and requiring confidence, power, and performance thresholds. This paper highlights the Air Force Flight Test Center's (AFFTC) first steps to improve aircraft propulsion system test and evaluation (T&E) through the implementation of statistically defensible test techniques. Background on the AF acquisition process, the Air Force vision for defensible testing, and an aircraft propulsion T&E case study are presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA544585
Entities
People
- Christopher Moulder
- Craig Stevens
- David Kidman
- James Brownlow
- Todd Remund
- William Kitto
Organizations
- Air Force Test Center