Headquarters U.S. Air ForceFly – Fight – Win
USAF Developmental
Test – Value Added
Maj Gen David EichhornCommander, AFFTC
26 August 2010
Fly – Fight – Win
Our Mission The mission of the USAF is to:
Fly, fight and win...in air, space and cyberspace. The mission of the AFFTC is to:
Provide safe, effective and efficient RDT&E First choice in RDT&E
Invest in people and facilitiesLeverage our weather and locationAPA and EW expertsConduct independent,
objective assessment
Engineering
Engineering Intellectual Capital Performance and Flying
Qualities Avionics Electronic Warfare Low Observables Armament Integration Hypersonics Reliability, Maintainability Human Factors Mechanical Subsystems Mission Planning Instrumentation
Open Air RangeOARTEMS
IFAST
AFEWES
BAF
Electronic Warfare Facilities
EW Test & EvaluationUniversity
EW T&E U
Test & Evaluation, Modeling and SimulationDigital Simulation
AF Electronic WarfareEvaluation Simulator Hardware-In-The-Loop
Integration Facility forAvionics Systems TestingSystems Integration Lab
Benefield Anechoic FacilityInstalled Systems Test Facility
Fly – Fight – Win
BOMBERS
AIRLIFT/AIR DROP
FIGHTERS
AIRBORNE LASER
TANKERS
HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TEST
UAV / UCAV
Systems Under Test
Fly – Fight – Win
Lambert-St LouisMarietta, GACarswell, TX
Edwards AFB, CA
Why We Do It Here…What Gets Tested – And Where It Gets Tested
Matters!
Trends in System Complexity
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
As systems get more complexthe less the Government understand them
Govt DT&EInfluence
F-22
F-35 Estimate
F-16A
F-15AF-111F
F-46
F-100
25
20
15
10
5
0
Avionics Cost as Percent of Fly-Away Costs
Fly – Fight – Win
Growth in DemandF-22A
F-15E
MiG-29F-4E
MiG-23F-106
MiG-21F-86
MiG-15
• Turbojet Engines
• Multi-Role• Improved Avionics
F-35A
c.1945-1955 c.1955-1960 c.1960-1970 c.1970-2000 c.2000+
• Supersonic• On-Board Radar• First Guided Air-to-
Air Missiles
• First Precision Munitions
• Enhanced Radar• Improved
Maneuverability• First Low-
Observable (F-117)
• Fully Integrated Avionics & Sensors
• Greater Speed & Maneuverability
• All-Aspect, Day/Night Low-Observable (F-22)
• Network Centric
• Sophisticated Avionics
• Improved Precision
OperationalUS: F-22A
DevelopmentUS: F-35A/B/CRussian: MiG & Sukhoi ConceptsChina: XXJ Concept
US: P-80, F-84, F-86, FH-1, FJ, F-2H, F-3H, F-9FSoviet: MiG-15/17
US: F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, F-106Soviet: MiG-19/21China: J-7
US: F-111, F-4, F-5Soviet: MiG-23/25/27, Su-17/20/22Europe: Mirage F-1China: J-8
US: F-14, F-15A/C/E, F-16,F/A-18C/E/F, F-117Soviet/Russian: MiG-29/31, Su-27/30/33/35 Europe: Mirage 2000, Tornado, Rafale, Gripen, Eurofighter-Typhoon China: J-9, J-10, FC-1
Fly – Fight – Win
High Demand / Low Density Resources
Airspace & range assets Restricted Airspace Frequency Spectrum
Technical Personnel Maintenance Engineers Operators: esp. Test Pilot School Graduates
Support Fleet Efficient use of government assets Level playing field
Infrastructure
Fly – Fight – Win
Savings from Early Discovery
Your Return on Investment: 30-to-1 Rule $30 savings to weapon system programs for every
$1 invested in established T&E facilities
Time
Cost
Technology & System
DevelopmentProduction, Deployment, O&S
Billions saved over weapon system lifecycle
10
Fly – Fight – Win
Best Practices: A More Constructive Test Approach is Key to Better Weapon Systems (GAO Report - July 2000)
“Commercial firms have found constructive ways of conducting testing and evaluation to help them avoid being surprised by problems late in a product’s development.”
“However, the pressures of successfully competing for [government] funds to start and sustain a weapon system program create incentives for launching programs that embody more technical unknowns and less knowledge about the performance and production risks they entail…a new program will not be approved unless its costs fall within forecasts of available funds.”
Fly – Fight – Win
• “These pressures and incentives explain why the behavior of [government] weapon system managers differs from commercial managers.
• Rewards for discovering and recognizing potential problems early in a DoD program are few. In contrast with leading commercial firms, not having attained knowledge – such as on the performance of a key technology – can be perceived as better than knowing the problems exist. When valid test results are not available, program sponsors can assert projected performance.”
“Accordingly, DoD testers are often seen as adversaries to the program.”
(GAO Report - July 2000)
Constructive Test Approach is Key to Better Weapon Systems
Fly – Fight – Win
Doing it Right
1949 Scientific Advisory Board
(Dr von Karman, Gen Doolittle, Dr Wattendorf)
13
The committee* is of the opinion that a highly
technical Service such as the Air Force should prepare
itself to take a more competent role than it is now
taking in guarding the solution of the technical
problems connected with its weapons and techniques.
Dr von Karman
Gen Doolittle
Delivery of Right Capabilities on Schedule on Budget