Skip to main content

Navy Weapons Testing: Defense Policy on Early Operational Testing

NSIAD-89-98 Published: May 08, 1989. Publicly Released: May 08, 1989.
Jump To:

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the extent to which the Navy conducted operational testing and evaluation (OT&E) before it made decisions on full-scale development or low-rate initial production of weapons systems.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should reemphasize the desirability of performing OT&E as early as possible in the acquisition cycle, as called for by DOD acquisition directives. In so doing, the Secretary should clarify when it is appropriate for decisionmakers to rely on operational assessments that may not include the operational testing of any hardware and when actual operational testing and evaluation must occur. In addressing this issue, the Secretary should ensure that the independence of the services' OT&E agencies is not compromised and that the basis for weapon system assessments is fully disclosed when the assessments are reported to congressional and DOD decisionmakers.
Closed – Implemented
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is updating its DOD Manual 5000.3-M-5, Volume 3, to reflect the recommendation, but Congress enacted an amendment which excludes operational assessments from the statutory definition of OT&E. Therefore, DOD cannot make this proposed change.

Full Report

Full Report (37 pages)

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

National Defense
Decision makingIrregular procurementMilitary cost controlNaval procurementOperational testingWeapons systemsMilitary forcesDevelopmental testingField testingEngineering