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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

IMPROVED TARGET ACQUISITION SYSTEM (ITAS)

	Army ACAT III Program 1165 systems Total program cost (TY$) $793M Average unit cost (TY$) $591K Full-rate production 4QFY98 Prime Contractor Texas Instruments

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The ITAS is an integrated day/night sight which employs a second generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) to enable gunners to detect, recognize, and engage targets at ranges substantially greater than achievable with TOW 2. In addition, ITAS has an eye-safe Laser Range Finder (LRF), automatic boresighting, Aided Target Tracking (ATT), and Built-In-Test and Built-In-Test Equipment (BIT/BITE). It also incorporates an embedded training (ET) capability. ITAS can be used with all current versions of the TOW and has been designed so that it will be possible to use it with a potential future missile system. ITAS can be manportable or mounted on a vehicle - currently the High-Mobility, Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The ITAS has a high degree of commonality with the Improved Bradley Acquisition System (IBAS) which will be integrated into the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System-A3.

The Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) has been planned as an upgrade to the currently-operational TOW 2 antitank weapon system for the light forces. ITAS is intended to provide major improvements to the antitank weapon system through increased capability for target detection and acquisition and in the Fire Control System (FCS). ITAS is a precision engagement system that will enhance the Army's ability to dominate the ground maneuver battle.

A Limited User's Test (May 95), two Dirty Battlefield Detection, Acquisition and Recognition Tests (Aug 95, Mar 96) and a Pre-production Qualification Test (May 96) provided some operationally relevant data that clearly indicated the technical superiority of ITAS over TOW 2, especially at night and as conditions become increasingly degraded. The IOTE for ITAS was conducted during 4Q FY96. The results of the IOTE found ITAS to be operationally effective but not operationally suitable. ITAS did not meet most reliability and maintainability requirements. Additionally, the performance of the built-in test and built in test equipment (BIT/BITE) was unsatisfactory and the laser range finder did not meet accuracy requirements.

No OT events occurred during 1997. Production qualification testing has been ongoing to verify technical fixes to shortfalls identified in the IOTE. OT efforts have been devoted to planning and resourcing a follow-on test and evaluation (FOT&E) scheduled for February 1998. This follow-on test will address the suitability issues identified in the IOT&E.

On the IOTE, ITAS was found to be operationally effective but not operationally suitable. ITAS did not meet its suitability requirements for reliability, maintainability and BIT/BITE performance. The ITAS T&E Integrated Product Team, in which DOT&E has been an active participant, has been an effective and responsive means to address the remaining suitability issues. The scheduled FOT&E is designed to provide the necessary data to determine if ITAS now meets these suitability requirements. Efforts to date indicate ITAS should be able to meet its suitability requirements during this test. The results of this test will provide input to a second LRIP decision in 3QFY98 and a MSIII full rate production decision in 4QFY98.