Free growler with every launch!
Posted on 02/03/2011 3:53:12 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
While the U.S. Navy has continued to make improvements to its F/A-18 electronic attack variant — the EA-18G Growler — the service has yet to prove the aircraft is suitable for operations, says a recent report by the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E).
At the same time, DOT&E notes another Navy electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler, is suitable, despite testing limitations faced by the program.
DOT&E notes “suitability problems” that were identified during Growler testing in 2008. The Navy conducted Verification of Correction of Deficiencies (VCD) testing on the EA-18G from September 2009 to January 2010 to resolve those issues.
“The VCD test results did confirm significant progress on improving suitability, but additional development and testing are needed,” DOT&E notes in its most recent report, released in January. “The EA-18G is operationally effective, but still not operationally suitable.”
In DOT&E’s parlance, “operationally effective” simply means the system can perform its mission. “Operationally suitable” means the system will be practical and supportable in the field.
As far as the Navy is concerned, the Growler’s initial operational test and evaluation proved it is both operationally effective and suitable. “From what we understand, DOT&E included items outside the specific scope of [the] test for the EA-18G program into its findings,” the service says in a statement. “Although these items were outside the scope of the development program, they are items DOT&E felt important enough to address from a Department of Defense perspective.
“No program ever enters IOT&E [initial operational test and evaluation] perfect or ends without identification of anomalies,” the Navy says. “None of the anomalies were showstoppers.”
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
So much DOD/acquisition-speak in that article it is difficult to determine where the truth is. Based on my limited interpretation skills of acquisition-speak, it sounds like the Growler is meeting the specs of the intial acquisition documents but the T&E people are now working off of a Navy wishlist and writing comments accordingly. Thus, the system is not being fielded while the contractor addresses the T&E comments.
And we wonder why it costs so much to acquire weapons and support systems...
ping
A brilliant conclusion considering the Prowler achieved IOC in 1971.
Except, that the system is being fielded.
Told you I was not fully fluent in acquisition-speak!
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