Major T&E Investment

The Major T&E Investment program, identified as Program Element (PE) 0604759N in the Navy's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, is focused on correcting deficiencies, modernizing, and enhancing the effectiveness of Test & Evaluation (T&E) capabilities at the Navy's Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB) ranges and facilities. This initiative is managed under RDT&E Management Support and is designed to sustain and upgrade installations critical for general research, development, testing, and evaluation activities. The program supports a wide array of test facilities, including the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in the Bahamas, the Nanoose and Dabob ranges in Washington, the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at Point Mugu and China Lake in California, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at Patuxent River, Maryland, and the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Hawaii.

The primary line item within the Major T&E Investment program is focused on the modernization and upgrade of undersea, open air, and ground test facilities. For undersea ranges, planned activities include replacing array structures and tracking display systems, upgrading hydrophone tracking and acoustic acquisition systems, modernizing operational security sensors, and enhancing electronic warfare signal generators. These upgrades are targeted at AUTEC and the Nanoose and Dabob ranges, aiming to improve data management, range security, and test accuracy for underwater systems and vehicles.

For open air ranges, the program funds the modernization of radar, telemetry, and communications infrastructure at NAWCAD, NAWCWD, and PMRF. Specific goals include upgrading microwave radar relay systems, enhancing telemetry collection and processing capabilities, replacing flight termination and communication systems, and modernizing radar instrumentation. These improvements are intended to support more complex and realistic air and missile testing scenarios, increase data fidelity, and ensure secure and reliable communications across test ranges.

Ground test facility investments focus on upgrading ordnance and propulsion test arenas, electromagnetic radiation test areas, and helicopter drive system test stands at NAWCAD and NAWCWD. Planned objectives include renovating control rooms, refurbishing test pads and cable paths, replacing firing control and data collection systems, and modernizing electromagnetic interference facilities. These upgrades are justified by the need to support testing of advanced munitions, propulsion systems, and electronic warfare equipment, ensuring that facilities remain capable of evaluating next-generation technologies.

Additional funding provided by Congress in FY 2024 was directed to initiate and complete enhancements at NAWCWD's Integrated SCI/Multilevel Security Data Center at NAWS China Lake, addressing critical needs for secure handling and protection of sensitive test data. No further Congressional Adds are planned for FY 2025 or FY 2026, reflecting a one-time focus on cybersecurity infrastructure.

The justification for the Major T&E Investment program is to maintain the Navy's ability to conduct rigorous, realistic, and secure testing of new and existing systems. By modernizing physical infrastructure, upgrading instrumentation, and enhancing data management and security, the program aims to ensure that the Navy's test ranges and facilities can support evolving operational requirements and technological advancements. These investments are essential for validating system performance, reliability, and safety prior to deployment in operational environments.

Funding adjustments in the program reflect the completion of major projects and the initiation of new upgrades, with decreases in FY 2026 due to the conclusion of several modernization efforts. The acquisition strategy for these investments is not separately detailed, as the program primarily supports ongoing facility sustainment and modernization rather than discrete procurement actions.