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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

CV(X)

	Navy ACAT ID Pre MS 1 conducting Analysis of Alternatives Prime Contractor Not yet determined

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

CVX will be a new design for the aircraft carrier to replace the existing Nimitz class (CVN-68) in 2013. With an expected 50 year life cycle, the first ship in this new aircraft carrier class will be in the fleet until 2063. As a new generation aircraft carrier, CVX will be pivotal to dominant maneuver in the Concept for Future Joint Operations in the next century. The embarked air wing of the next century will be a key system involved in precision engagement in the strategies of the future.

Many possible designs of CVX are included in an ongoing Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) with trade studies including ship size, speed, sustainability, survivability, etc. being considered. The design effort started with a "clean sheet" and no design decisions have been made; however, reduced life cycle cost of CVX compared to the Nimitz class carrier is a primary goal. Part 1 of the AOA, which will conclude in 1997, focused on the size of the air wing intended for the ship with the nominal size options being 40, 60 or 80 plane air wings. Part 2 will conclude in OCT98, Part 3 in JAN00, and the MS I decision is scheduled for APR00.

This program is in the analysis, pre-MS 1 phase with no dedicated test and evaluation activity. DOT&E has been involved as a member of the AOA Oversight Group throughout Part 1 and will remain involved as the program continues through the AOA and into EMD to assist in establishing a credible operational test and live fire strategy. No TEMP is required at this early stage of the program.

Early OT involvement in this long range program will prove vital to establishing credible Measures of Effectiveness and Measures of Performance to facilitate realistic and meaningful operational testing. Early test planning efforts should also lead to investment in adequate modeling and simulation to support future operational testing. Additionally, early involvement by live fire test should insure a robust strategy to maximize survivability and minimize the vulnerability aspects of the final ship design.