Investment Strategy for DoD Automatic Test Systems. Volume 1. Summary and Analyses

This paper reports the results of an investigation into investment strategies for DoD automatic test systems (ATS). The study was chartered by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Production and Logistic, and was conducted by a DoD and IDA team under the guidance of an Office of Secretary of Defense/Joint Service Executive Steering Group. This paper documents the results, methodology, and conclusions of the detailed technical analyses conducted in conjunction with this effort. Fifteen weapon systems were selected representative of Defense-wide programs for in-depth ATS data collection and analysis. Selected ATS were evaluated for technical capabilities and their ability to meet multiple weapon system applications. The resulting data provided a baseline for characterizing Defense ATS acquisition costs and investment focus. Future benefits of an improved ATS investment strategy were compared with present ATS acquisition approaches used by the Services. The study concluded that Defense-wide use of standard ATS families provides the best approach to meet automatic testing needs at the lowest possible cost. Volume I contains a summary and highlevel analyses of the results; Volume Ill contains the supporting data. Automatic Test Systems (ATS), Automatic Test Equipment (ATE), Test Program Set (TPS), Weapon systems, Acquisition.