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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

SADARM

	Army ACAT IC Program 50189 rounds Total program cost (TY$) $2898M Average unit cost (TY$) $0.0578M Full-rate Production 4QFY98 Prime Contractor GENCORP Inc. (Aerojet)

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

SADARM is a "smart" artillery submunition designed for precision engagement of self-propelled howitzers as well as other lightly armored vehicles. By destroying the enemy's self-propelled counterfire capability, SADARM contributes to full-dimensional protection. Denying the enemy's use of self-propelled howitzers better enables friendly forces to move at will and dominate maneuver.

SADARM is designed to attack and kill lightly armored vehicles. SADARM is dispensed from a 155 millimeter (mm) howitzer round. Each howitzer round delivers two submunitions. Once dispensed, the submunition deploys a parachute-like deceleration device. At a predetermined distance from the ground, the submunition ejects the deceleration device and deploys another device to stabilize and rotate the submunition. As the submunition falls and rotates, it searches the ground with a millimeter wave sensor and an infrared sensor array. Using the two sensors and detection logic, the submunition is designed to detect countermeasured targets in a variety of climates. If the sensor detects a target, the submunition fires an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) at the target. If no target is detected the submunition is designed to self-destruct.

The Army is pursuing a SADARM product improvement (PI) as part of a cost reduction program. The PI will increase SADARM's effectiveness by increasing the detection area and potentially using a new EFP design. Several EFP designs are being considered. The new EFP should increase effectiveness against self-propelled howitzers as well as other targets. The PI will be cut into the current production line. According to the current strategy, the SADARM PI will make up at least 90 percent of the total SADARM buy.

SADARM is currently in low-rate production. After technical tests in June and July 1993, SADARM testing was suspended due to poor performance. The Army conducted an extensive failure analysis and program review. In April 1994, 13 projectiles (26 submunitions) scored 11 hits at a range of approximately 15 kilometers. However, there were still problems at the longest ranges as well as submunition mid-air collision problems.

The Army restructured the program to allow a limited low rate production. The low-rate production supported additional tests of the system. Countermeasure and non-desert tests were also added to the program, and the operational test was expanded as a final confirmation prior to entering full-rate production.

Based on the test results and the restructured program, the defense acquisition board (DAB) allowed the program to enter low rate production in March 1995. The DAB delegated the full rate production decision to the Army contingent on achieving an exit criterion.

Early in 1996, the Army began the first tests of the low-rate production articles. In March and April 1996, the Army conducted tests at Yuma Proving Ground to confirm fixes for the collision problems. There were 8 hits with 9 rounds (18 submunitions) fired at 18 km, close to the longest range. This exceeded the exit criterion for the test and no collisions were observed.

A number of important technical tests were conducted this year. These initial production tests (IPT) are an integral part of DOT&E's operational assessment. The target array and countermeasures for the IPTs were validated by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as representative of SADARM's threat. The arrays contained real self-propelled howitzers, a real artillery command and control vehicle as well as validated simulators. Other real targets (light skinned vehicles as well as one tank) surrounded the validated threat array. Hits on the real vehicles will be used in the live fire assessment.

The first tests against countermeasures (nets in defilade) and volley-fire were conducted at Yuma Proving Ground in May and June of this year. In August, the Army conducted the first SADARM tests in a non-desert environment at the Cold Regions Test Center in Fort Greely, Alaska. These tests were conducted in a variety of weather conditions from rainy to sunny days. The Army will conduct additional tests at Fort Greely, Alaska in October of this year to assess SADARM's performance in the cold and snow.

All of the IPTs were fired at a range of 15 km. All of the IPTs have been at or above expectations and there have been numerous hits on real vehicles.

In July, the Army conducted a first article test (FAT) at approximately 18 km. This test was to demonstrate the system reliability at close to the longest ranges. Four of eleven rounds (36 %) failed to dispense submunitions. One of these rounds fell 6 kilometers short of the target. Due to these failures, the Army is working on a new carrier design. The new design is expected to compete qualification and first article testing in time to conduct the operational test in July 1998. In addition, some IR sensor reliability problems were uncovered.

In addition to testing, there was progress in developing a test program for the SADARM PI. This program will likely use modeling and simulation in conjunction with testing to assess its operational effectiveness.

Prior to the SADARM full-rate production decision, SADARM will have been tested in desert, European summer, and European winter environments against the validated threat target consisting of a battery of self-propelled howitzers employing offensive and defensive countermeasures. The test and evaluation is adequate for a full operational evaluation of the basic SADARM. DOT&E has not received nor analyzed all of the test data to-date. However, based on observations at the test sites, our preliminary assessment is that the submunition works well when it is placed over the target. The reliability of the carrier and submunition is not currently adequate. However, the Army has developed fixes which will be tested prior to the full-rate production decision.

DOT&E will supplement data from the operational test with data from technical tests to make a final assessment prior to the full rate production decision, scheduled for December 1998.