Headquarters U.S. Air ForceFly – Fight – Win

USAF Developmental

Test – Value Added

Maj Gen David Eichhorn

Commander, 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 Demand

F-22A

F-15E

MiG-29

F-4E

MiG-23

F-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

Development

Production, 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