United States Army Test and Evaluation Command

United States Army Test and Evaluation Command. The United States Army established the United States Army Test and Evaluation Command to ensure the United States Department of the Army's United States Army Materiel Command and other United States Army components receive the best possible acquisition support, as guided by the United States Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. This command plays a critical role in the development and testing of new United States Army equipment and technologies, working closely with organizations such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the United States Army Research Laboratory. The command's work is also informed by the National Defense Authorization Act and the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which have shaped the United States Department of Defense's approach to acquisition and Research and development.

● History

The United States Army Test and Evaluation Command was established in 1994, as part of a broader effort to reform the United States Army's acquisition process, following the recommendations of the Packard Commission and the Defense Acquisition University. The command's history is closely tied to that of the United States Army Materiel Command, which was established in 1962 to oversee the United States Army's Logistics and acquisition activities, with the support of the United States Army Logistics Management College and the United States Army Ordnance School. The command has also worked closely with other organizations, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the American National Standards Institute, to develop and implement new testing and evaluation standards, as outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. Key figures, including Norman Augustine and William Perry, have played important roles in shaping the command's mission and activities, which are also informed by the work of the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office.

● Organization

The United States Army Test and Evaluation Command is headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, and is organized into several subordinate commands, including the U.S. Army Operational Test Command and the U.S. Army Developmental Test Command, which work closely with the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and the United States Army Forces Command. The command is led by a Major General, who reports to the United States Army Materiel Command's General, and works closely with other senior leaders, including the Chief of Staff of the United States Army and the Under Secretary of the Army. The command's organization is also influenced by the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, which have shaped the United States Department of Defense's approach to acquisition and Research and development, with the support of organizations such as the Defense Acquisition University and the National Defense University.

● Responsibilities

The United States Army Test and Evaluation Command is responsible for planning, conducting, and evaluating tests and evaluations of new United States Army equipment and technologies, working closely with organizations such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the United States Army Research Laboratory. The command's responsibilities include testing and evaluating new Tanks, Infantry fighting vehicles, and other Armored fighting vehicles, as well as Unmanned aerial vehicles and other Unmanned combat aerial vehicles, with the support of the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command and the United States Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command. The command also works closely with the United States Navy's Naval Air Systems Command and the United States Air Force's Air Force Materiel Command, as well as the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the American National Standards Institute, to develop and implement new testing and evaluation standards, as outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.

● Facilities

The United States Army Test and Evaluation Command operates several facilities, including the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the Dugway Geodesic Dome in Utah, and the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, which are used to test and evaluate new United States Army equipment and technologies, with the support of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center. The command also uses facilities such as the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and the Fort Bliss in Texas, which are operated by the United States Army's United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the United States Army Forces Command, respectively. The command's facilities are also used to support the work of other organizations, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, which are involved in the development and testing of new Aerospace and Aviation technologies.

● Operations

The United States Army Test and Evaluation Command conducts a wide range of operations, including live fire exercises and simulations, to test and evaluate new United States Army equipment and technologies, with the support of the United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center and the United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. The command's operations are designed to ensure that new equipment and technologies meet the United States Army's requirements and are safe and effective for use by United States Army personnel, as outlined in the United States Army Field Manual and the United States Army Doctrine Publication. The command also works closely with other organizations, such as the United States Marine Corps' Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity and the United States Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command, to develop and implement new testing and evaluation standards, as informed by the work of the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office.