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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Block II/BAT submunition is a precision engagement weapon that integrates standoff delivery accuracy with a submunition that possesses the required capability to autonomously seek and kill moving armor columns in the deep battle zone. This precision engagement capability will enable joint U.S. and combined allied forces to interdict enemy formations through synchronized operations from dispersed locations. This ability to engage deep targets will contribute to the joint effort that assures dominant maneuver.

The Block II ATACMS missile is the delivery system chosen by the Army as the deep attack carrier for the BAT Submunition. BAT is a self-guided submunition that uses on-board sensors to seek, identify, employ a top attack engagement profile, and destroy moving tanks and other armored combat vehicles. It uses an acoustic sensor to seek out its armor targets and an infrared sensor to engage the vehicles.

After dispense from the ATACMS Block II missile, the 13 submunitions glide to their preprogrammed target area and select a discrete target within the assigned acoustic segment of the armored combat vehicle formation. Once a target has been acquired by the terminal infrared seeker, the weapon guides to terminal impact and uses a tandem-shaped charge warhead to destroy the vehicle. With a relatively large acoustic search/glide footprint, the BAT is designed to accommodate target location ambiguity inherent in the engagement of moving formations.

The BAT submunition was initially developed as a part of the Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile Program (TSSAM). When the TSSAM Program was canceled, the Army opted to integrate the munition package into the ATACMS. The Service revalidated the need for a deep attack weapon capable of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy armor formations. The requirement for this capability was reinforced during the Deep Attack Weapons Mix Study.

The principal test activities have been developmental events, including Design Verification Tests (DVTs), Contractor Development Tests (CDTs), and pre-production verification/production qualification testing (PPVT and PQT). The DVTs were single submunition drops from a commercial fixed-wing aircraft. The sequence of DVT testing built up to increasingly representative submunition evaluations. The DVT sequence both tested the hardware configuration and contributed to the modeling and simulation data base that will be eventually accredited for use in the OT&E phase. The CDT series builds upon the DVT results and culminates in full system Engineering Design Tests of missile/submunition function (PPVT and PQT). Because of the importance of all developmental activity in the validation of the modeling and simulation to the overall program evaluation, DOT&E and Army OTA representatives observed key test events through all the test phases.

The evaluation of the Army TACMS Block II program also relies on a series of supporting test events and exercises to demonstrate/evaluate the end-to-end system performance. All phases of the Army's decide, detect, deliver concept of employment will be evaluated. Key evaluation events include the MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM) Force Development T&E (conducted in FY95), ongoing Joint STARS System testing, and data gathering activity at selected joint exercise and training events.

The ATACMS Block II TEMP outlines an adequate OT&E and LFT&E strategy and supporting resources. The TEMP was approved by DOT&E in July 1995 and is currently being updated. All testing is being conducted in accordance with the approved strategy.

The missile performance has been tested in six system firings to date. One of the missiles had a failure in the dispense mechanism that ejects the inner ring of three BAT submunitions. The outer ring of ten submunitions/simulants were dispensed normally. The failure mode has been analyzed and corrected with the modification of the retaining bands and release mechanism of the payload section of the missile. The inner ring has been dispensed successfully in the three subsequent firings. Overall reliability for the dispense of submunitions from the missile is .92 (60/65).

The submunition reliability has been more variable. The current demonstrated operating reliability of the BAT submuntions (using Army scoring criteria) is 22 successes out of 34 total test events (.65). DOT&E scoring could be slightly lower, pending review of several recent test events. The BAT operating reliability requirement is .79 for the upcoming LRIP decision at the completion of the production qualification testing. The finial operating reliability requirement for fielding is .91. Although the program office has tried to analyze each failure mode and implement corrections, exact causes cannot always be determined. Of particular concern are two unresolved failures involving premature detonation of the warhead. DOT&E and Army OPTEC will remain actively engaged in monitoring corrective actions and progress toward eventually meeting reliability requirements.

The LFT&E strategy for the weapon system was developed to take advantage of expected hits on target armored vehicles during the planned flight tests of submunitions with live warheads. There have been nine live warhead drops scored to date, and three of these have hit targets. There are sufficient flight test warhead and dedicated LFT&E warheads events remaining to adequately determine the lethality of the submunition.

Each test event, regardless of success or failure, has contributed to the overall modeling and simulation validation and accreditation schema. The Program Office has implemented a strategy of early involvement of operational testers to ensure that developmental test data is available to DOT&E and Army operational evaluators for independent simulation and early assessments.

The ATACMS Block II/BAT Program has incorporated early and continued OT&E involvement during DT and the attendant modeling and simulation plan. Each test event has significantly contributed to the body of knowledge regarding the ATACMS Block II missile and builds toward eventual OPTEC accreditation of the IOT&E simulation strategy. This early involvement, combined DT/OT strategy, and robust modeling and simulation have been key to the evaluation strategies for both the developer and operational testers.