Customers

ARI has been supporting the DOT&E Test and Evaluation Threat Resource Activity (TETRA)(formerly the Threat Systems Office (TSO)) for more than ten years, bringing in-depth knowledge of DOT&E, expertise in test and evaluation (T&E) resources, and extensive experience in threat representations used in test and evaluation. ARI conducts test and evaluation threat resource adequacy analyses to determine the threats needed for testing, the adequacy of existing systems, and the shortfalls that exist. ARI also recommends alternatives to address those shortfalls and assists with program analysis and project tracking of TETRA-sponsored investment projects. ARI helps manage the development of guidelines for proposals, supports the peer review process culminating in the prioritization of projects, and presents the list to the OSD Test Investment Coordinating Committee (OTICC) for action. Guidance in the form of Test Package Directives is prepared by ARI and provided to project managers to assist in administration and management of the effort. ARI evaluates the project plans prepared by the project managers, compiles monthly expenditure data, and supports regular Execution Review meetings.

ARI also provides oversight to the threat simulator and modeling and simulation programs to ensure their products will meet testing needs and provides an independent assessment of the representative threat's ability to accurately represent the threat, a process known as validation. ARI assists TETRA in obtaining the latest current intelligence that directly impacts testing and providing validated threat documentation to facilitate Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP), Test Plan, and Operational Requirements Document (ORD) reviews. ARI evaluates the adequacy of Service and agency annual Foreign Materiel Program plans and provides specialized technical research concerning chemical-biological threat scenarios. Every two weeks, ARI prepares Intelligence Highlights which are distributed to all DOT&E leadership and Assessment Officers; ARI also supplements this information by giving weekly intelligence briefings at DOT&E staff meetings.

ARI is the primary contractor providing technical and programmatic support to the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Management Agency (TEMA). Support includes: development of T&E resource investment strategies; review, analysis, and implementation of T&E resources, policy and procedural actions; and documentation of planning, programming, and budgeting systems. ARI reviews T&E proposals competing for Service, Joint, or OSD funding; analyzes technical issues resulting from test planning activities; and reviews and analyzes Department of Defense and Service intelligence, testing and other documentation to determine test resource requirements. ARI also assists TEMA in reviewing resource surveys and analyzing the results for input to Service requirements processes; assessing unmet test resource requirements and recommending solutions; maintaining and updating program documentation to include reflection of needs and solutions identified in the requirements process; and improving the T&E process through modeling and simulation. In addition, ARI provides meeting and conference support as well as quick reaction capability and deliverables related to T&E support.

ARI supports the DOT&E Action Officers and Deputy Directors with analysis of test and evaluation program resource adequacy and with planning across all aspects of the DoD acquisition system and the DoD test and evaluation infrastructure. ARI staff analyze requirements documents for Oversight Programs to determine the impact on future test resources; monitor program progress through participation in working groups and Integrated Product Teams; advise on T&E strategy regarding resource adequacy; assess system resource adequacy for Operational Test readiness forums; analyze test resource adequacy issues across warfare areas; and participate in and support various resource investment forums.

ARI staff support the DoD Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP) Resource Enhancement Project (REP) by providing direct technical, programmatic, and financial management support to the DOT&E chartered REP Working Group, which provides overall oversight of the REP. Duties include: performing comprehensive technical reviews of candidate proposals and making funding recommendations; monitoring subproject execution and publishing status reports; preparing and coordinating program documentation; coordinating program execution issues with the Service Operational Test Agencies, DOT&E Assessment Directorates, and intelligence production agencies; and providing financial support to the CTEIP and REP Appropriations Manager. ARI is also responsible for developing and testing enhancements to the REP Automated Management Information System (RAMIS) to support data collection efforts and the tracking of obligations and expenditures, Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPRs), and action items. ARI maintains the REP databases and generates monthly reports for distribution to OSD, DOT&E, OTICC Principals, and the REP Community. Support also entails routine responses to quick reaction requests for information from the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, CTEIP Program Element Manager, other high-level DoD organizations, and Congress.

ARI supports the Director of the Defense Test Resource Management Center (DTRMC) and his mission to serve as the principal advisor on matters pertaining to the strategic planning and assessment of the Department of Defense's Major Range and Test Facility Base, the nation's critical range infrastructure for conducting effective test and evaluation of major weapon systems. The DTRMC is required by law to develop and submit to Congress a biennial Strategic Plan for Defense T&E Resources, and an annual report certifying the adequacy of the Military Departments' and Defense Agencies' T&E budgets. ARI assists the DTRMC in producing these documents. ARI also supports the Center in its responsibility for reviewing proposed T&E budgets, submitting reports and certifications as required, and administering the Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program and the program of the Department of Defense for test and evaluation science and technology.

ARI provides program development support to the DoD Business Initiatives Council (BIC), Executive Steering Committee, and the Army BIC leadership. ARI staff track all Test and Evaluation (T&E) initiatives from origination to enactment and archiving. ARI facilitates Integrated Product Team (IPT) meetings for Army T&E initiatives which involves preparation of agendas, providing coordination services prior to each of the IPT meetings, setting up conference rooms and meals/refreshments, attending each IPT meeting, writing and distributing the minutes, and following up on all action items. ARI staff also participate in the weekly meetings of the Army BIC Board of Directors (BD), T&E Process Functional Board (PFB), BIC Executive Director (ED), and BIC ED "Hot Wash". ARI is responsible for developing draft minutes for BIC ED meeting agenda items involving T&E; facilitating the BIC PFB meetings each week, including development and distribution of agendas and minutes; and for follow-up on all action items resulting from BIC PFB meetings. Other support includes developing concept charts, tri-charts, and implementation plans describing each T&E initiative; revising documents to conform to changes in initiative status and strategic direction; preparing reports as required on T&E initiatives for the BIC PFB, BIC EDs and BIC Principals; and reviewing BIC status documents and spreadsheets on a regular basis to make sure they are current.

ARI provides programmatic and analytic support to the Naval Air Warfare Center at Patuxent River in test & evaluation and training support. Activities include: decision analysis support for development, evaluation, and approval of naval threat systems; independent technical review, analysis, and procedural support to facilitate test and training resource management and allocation; instrumentation, target, and threat simulator requirements development; and Navy management and integration of test and training resource planning and execution.

The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) terrain data has not yet been thoroughly evaluated for quality and utility.  For military aviation, and for military ground use, a significant benefit would accrue if data accuracy were adequate to support either type of operations.  The aim of this effort is to measure the inherent capabilities and limitations of the SRTM data in terms of real-world applications and limit the potential for erroneous results in using the data. Evaluation of the accuracy of the SRTM data encompasses both aviation and ground-based investigations.

Other Ongoing Efforts

Other work performed by ARI includes the following efforts.

• Formulation of multi-year threat simulator development plans and recommendations for effectively determining future threat simulator concepts and needs.

• Development of a Generic Helicopter Model which incorporates high fidelity Flightlab blade element flight dynamics.

• Support to the Air Force/Test and Evaluation Directorate (AF/TE) including participation in meetings and data collection required for compliance with new charging policies in the Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB); coordination of international T&E actions related to the MRTFB; and assistance with the T&E Reliance process and the T&E Agent Board of Directors.