Operational Test and Evaluation Capability

The Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) Capability program, funded under Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Management Support, aims to sustain or modernize facilities and conduct operations required for general research, development, test, and evaluation. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the program serves as the Service Operational Test Agency for the Navy and Marine Corps Aviation. It includes various squadrons conducting OT&E under the direction of the Director and is organized into warfare divisions responsible for delivering test documents ready for the Director's signature and executing operational test and evaluation for Naval systems and capabilities. The program's objectives include supporting initiatives to improve OT&E efficiency through IT network upgrades, integrated testing, mission-based test design, staffing enhancements in acquisition processes, modeling and simulation, statistical studies, information assurance, and cybersecurity testing.

The program also aims to enhance OT&E processes and products to increase their value by tailoring methods for adaptive acquisition pathways and Agile IT systems. It supports Warfare Capability Baseline assessments to report on the Navy's capability across all platforms, networks, weapons, or sensors. Additionally, it focuses on analyzing performance across warfare domains and collaborating to maximize lessons learned while bridging Fleet-to-acquisition communication seams through external engagement with Warfighting Development Centers. The program also emphasizes cyber initiatives such as integrating cyber survivability data into OT&E and conducting platform-level cyber survivability evaluations during OT. The program's funding increase from FY23 to FY24 reflects an increased requirement for cybersecurity test and evaluation of non-IP based systems across aviation, submarine, surface, expeditionary, C4ISR, and facility security platforms and programs.