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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) provides the Army an all-weather, indirect, area fire weapon system to strike counterfire, air defense, armored formations, and other high-payoff targets at all depths of the tactical battlefield. Primary missions of MLRS include the suppression, neutralization and destruction of threat fire support and forward area air defense targets. The MLRS M270 Launcher is the standard U.S. Army platform for firing surface to surface artillery rockets and missiles. M270A1 improvements are intended to enhance the field artillery's support to armor and infantry units to reinforce the dominant maneuver force by improving the corps commander's precision engagement capabilities for shaping the battlespace at extended ranges.

MLRS consists of a self-loading launcher with an onboard fire control system. The launcher is mounted on a mobile track vehicle that carries 12 rockets or 2 Army Tactical Missile System (Army TACMS) missiles, which can be fired individually or simultaneously. Rockets have a range beyond 30 kilometers, and the Army TACMS Block IA missile can reach beyond 300 kilometers.

The M270A1 program includes two major upgrades to the current M270 launcher. First is the Improved Fire Control System (IFCS), which replaces obsolete, maintenance-intensive hardware and software, providing growth potential for future munitions and the potential for reduced launcher operation and support costs. IFCS includes a Global Positioning System-aided navigation system for the launcher to supplement the existing inertial position-navigation system. The second upgrade, the Improved Launcher Mechanical System (ILMS), is designed to decrease the time to aim and load the launcher. This is achieved by providing a faster launcher drive system that moves simultaneously in azimuth and elevation. ILMS is expected to reduce the traverse time from the stowed position to worst case aimpoint by approximately 80 percent. It should also decrease the mechanical system contribution to reload time by about 40 percent. The reduction in time spent at the launch and reload points is expected to increase full-dimensional protection. In addition to the IFCS and ILMS modifications, the M270A1 program includes the remanufacture of selected components and the application of selected Engineering Change Proposals to the basic M270 launcher to bring all launchers to the same configuration.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

MLRS initial operational capability occurred in 1983. To combat the growing obsolescence of fire control microcircuits, the Army initiated the IFCS program with a Milestone II in 4QFY92. Additionally, analysis following Operation Desert Storm identified a requirement for faster prosecution of highly mobile, short dwell targets by the M270 Launcher. In 4QFY95, the ILMS program began.

Until FY96, IFCS and ILMS were managed by the Army as separate, Acquisition Category (ACAT) III programs with separate TEMPs. In November 1995, the Army submitted the IFCS TEMP. That TEMP was returned by DOT&E so that the Army could integrate the ILMS into a combined M270A1 TEMP, include a baseline comparison operational test, and include more firings in a DT/OT program. DOT&E approved the M270A1 TEMP in November 1996. The resulting MLRS program restructure keeps the IFCS and ILMS modifications as two separate program elements until ILMS system integration. At that time, the test programs combine as the M270A1 to undergo IOT and fielding.

Problems identified during 1997 IFCS software formal qualification testing (FQT) and system integration testing delayed the IFCS Extended System Integration Test (ESIT) and the IFCS kit decision by six months. The ESIT, conducted in January 1998, consisted of ground and flight tests at WSMR. The ground phase was conducted with a typical soldier crew at the expected M270A1 operational tempo. The flight phase included three fire missions of five M26 rockets each. On May 28, 1998, the Program Executive Officer, Tactical Missiles approved low-rate initial production of IFCS and ILMS hardware modification kits for integration into the M270A1 to support a first unit equipped date in 4QFY00. The M270A1 will undergo an ESIT in 2QFY99 and an IOT in September 1999 to support a 2QFY00 Milestone III decision.

The Army conducted an MLRS survivability assessment program to complete survivability estimates of the M270A1, determine the effects of M270A1 improvements on the survivability of the fielded launcher, and to develop recommended changes to the M270A1 and MLRS tactics to enhance launcher and crew survivability. The Aberdeen Test Center completed blast and shock tests in 1997 and payload sensitivity tests in 4QFY98.

The IFCS FQT demonstrated ballistic solutions as accurate as the current fire control system (FCS version 6.06). During the ESIT, IFCS met the kit decision exit criteria for hardware reliability (except for the mass storage device (MSD), fire mission reaction time, and position navigation unit alignment times. A solid state MSD common to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle has been selected to replace the defective MSD. The ESIT flight tests demonstrated accuracy comparable to previous MLRS stockpile reliability tests and within requirements. However, in the IFCS ESIT, IFCS software experienced numerous problems in three areas: achieving start-ups, reasonable data download times, and adequate time between system failures. The IFCS development contract was for the contractor to demonstrate improved software robustness and maturity. However, IFCS software remains high risk.

The ILMS component qualifications are progressing well. The project manager has taken corrective action on all problems identified in component developmental. ILMS is currently undergoing system integration testing. All testing is being conducted in accordance with the approved TEMP.

DOT&E will actively participate in the planning for and observance of the M270A1 ESIT and IOT in 1999. DOT&E will also prepare its own evaluation of the launcher to support the full-rate production decision in FY00.

Early involvement by OSD, ODUSA(OR), OPTEC and TECOM contributed to issue resolution at action officer levels, identification of test events that could be combined, a T&E plan that includes early soldier involvement, and accelerated development of an evaluation strategy.

Even though the IFCS software development was primarily the conversion of existing logic from JOVIAL to Ada, the program experienced serious integration, robustness, and maturity problems. Software development was hampered by problems that included contractor staffing shortages, lack of experienced Ada programmers, and late requirements development. All software development programs, no matter how trivial they may seem, require intensive oversight and management.

The M270A1 T&E Strategy should be modified to allow for the firing of an operational 12-rocket ripple mission during the M270A1 SIT or ESIT. During the flight test on March 2, 1998, the IFCS halted firing after the first rocket was launched. One of the safety checks of launcher-loader module motion detected a large difference between the commanded elevation and actual elevation. Those checks are designed to ensure that the system does not fire when the launcher-loader module is in a position that could damage the system. The contractor has suggested a fix to the problem. That fix should be verified by firing a full launcher load.