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Military


 DOT&E

Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
  
FY97 Annual Report

FY97 Annual Report

JOINT AIR TO SURFACE STAND-OFF MISSILE (JASSM)

Joint Air Force/Navy Program
(ACAT ID)
Air Force quantity-2400
Navy quantity-to be determined
unit cost- no greater than $700K
(current estimate $400K)
Total Program Cost- $2,170M
LRIP- 2QFY00
Full Rate Production- 2QFY01

Prime Contractor
McDonnell Douglas
Lockheed Martin

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The JASSM is a precision engagement weapon that takes advantage of the US ability to develop a weapon system that integrates the stand-off delivery accuracy and effectiveness required to kill critical enemy targets with the necessary technologies to insure high missile survivability. This precision engagement capability will enable the joint US and combined allied forces to conduct the sustained and synchronized operations from dispersed locations required to assure dominant maneuver.

The JASSM Missile system is an ACAT 1D effort to develop a survivable precision cruise missile capable of launch from outside area defenses to kill hard, medium-hardened, soft, and area type targets. The weapon is required to attack both fixed and relocatable targets. The JASSM was a FY96 new start joint program (Air Force lead, Navy participation). The program replaces the now defunct Tri- Service Standoff Attack Missile. After the termination of the TSSAM, the services continued to reiterate the need for a highly survivable standoff weapon capable of attacking a variety of deep interdiction type targets. The threshold integration aircraft are the F-16, B-52, and F/A-18 E/F.

The Key Performance Parameters for the system are: Missile Mission Effectiveness (expressed as a mission level measure of overall ability to kill a defined target set), missile range, and carrier operability. The program office developmental concept subordinates all other operational requirements to potential contractor performance/cost trade-offs to achieve the best value weapon for the service users. These cost-performance trades are to be defined through continued and open interaction between the service users, the program office, the operational test agencies, and the prime contractor(s). The program requirement is for the contractor to deliver a fully warranted full-up round for less than $700K each.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Initially, the program entertained proposals from seven contractors. The build-up to the RFP release was a period of intense interaction between all contractors and the government team. This open interaction and continued aggressive competition in performance and cost assessment are the keystones of the Program Director's strategy. The program is currently in competition between two participants in a Program Definition-Risk Reduction (PDRR) phase. The prime contractor contestants are Lockheed-Martin and McDonnell.

Currently, the Air Force and Navy are jointly directing an updated Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) study to determine the relative value of JASSM versus the postulated Navy Stand-Off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response Plus (SLAM-ER+). The results of this AOA will be used to determine the level of Navy participation in the JASSM program. Additionally, Congressional direction in the FY98 budget agreement mandates a JASSM budget reserve for potential support of SLAM-ER+ development.


TEST & EVALUATION ACTIVITY

DOT&E, AFOTEC, OPTEVFOR, the program office, and the contractor teams are working aggressively to formulate a mutually acceptable strategy to: incorporate early OT involvement; make early and continued use of modeling and simulation to gain test and evaluation efficiencies; take advantage of existing and planned developmental test activity to reduce the operational test matrix; and incorporate operational units into the OT&E strategy to allow the services the opportunity to field an early operational capability.

DOT&E and the service operational test agencies have been especially active in defining the required scope of the test strategy and assessing the overall program for opportunities to accelerate OT&E and LFT&E through integrated DT/OT events, where prudent. This effort has been supported by the JASSM Program Director and the service test agencies. This high level of early OT&E interaction with the developer is largely as a result of another key facet of the Program Director's strategy: there is no government developmental T&E of the system. The contractor is responsible for proposing, planning, and executing the DT phase of the program. This contractor program must support combined developmental and operational test demands, and eventually lead to an independent government IOT&E.

The program office, contractors, service operational test agencies, and DOT&E are also currently developing the requirement for target assets (both use of existing sites and construction of JASSM unique structures) to support a robust strategy that will be adequate to satisfy both effectiveness testing of the weapon and accreditation of a comprehensive modeling and simulation plan. Cooperative efforts with DOE and Defense Special Weapons Agency, as well as collaboration with various DOD ranges for availability of support are underway.

DOT&E personnel, the contractor teams, and the program office are also working closely to formulate an adequate LFT&E strategy. The definition of the required target set for test, the details of the LFT&E strategy and plan approval, and the incorporation of the LFT&E strategy into the contractor system verification plan are currently being refined.

The 1997 LFT&E activity included submission of a draft strategy concept, development by the two competing contractors of proposed test activities to support evaluation of the LFT&E issues.


TEST & EVALUATION ASSESSMENT

The JASSM Program testing, to date has been in support of proprietary component development by the competing contractors. Both contractors have developed viable test strategies that are supported with proposed events and resources in FY98. This testing activity is consistent with the DOT&E approved TEMP.



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