Description
Organization: NAVAIR, ACETEF
Team Name: Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF) Team
Related Acquisition Topic(s): Acquisition Practices Streamlining, Commercial Practices, Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD), Partnering, Simulation Based Acquisition
Description:
The Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF) is the world's only fully operational, multi-role Installed System Test Facility (ISTF) utilizing Modeling and Simulation (M&S) that can integrate a simulated warfare environment with state of the art simulators, stimulators, actual weapon systems/aircraft, High Performance Computing (HPC), high fidelity cockpit trainers (Manned Flight Simulator), and external facilities/capabilities to provide a cost effective RDT&E capability to complement the entire acquisition process.
The capability ACETEF provides is a cornerstone resource that ensures aircraft weapon systems are effective in a Network Centric Warfare environment. ACETEF makes available technical resources to ensure systems are interoperable, functional, and effective in an existing, future, or customer defined scenario.
The genesis of this facility was the need to provide the warfighter the capability to fully test advanced aircraft and aircraft weapon systems in a cost effective and timely manner.
ACETEF was developed from a series of individual laboratories and was integrated through a fiber optic backbone to meet the needs of the warfighter who required testing of more complex weapon systems. Present customers (including Navy, Army, Air Force, Industry, and foreign governments) utilize ACETEF capabilities at various stages throughout the system development and acquisition process. While the primary function of ACETEF is as an ISTF, projects also utilize ACETEF functions that include modeling and simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and distributed simulation exercises. The versatility of ACETEF capability allows its customers to utilize these tools for requirements definition, Developmental Testing (DT), Operational Testing (OT), testing of system upgrades of production weapon systems, training, tactics development, and support to the Fleet. Some of the programs that utilize ACETEF capabilities include Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), Joint Theater Missile Defense (JTMD), Joint Combat Search and Rescue (JCSAR), F/A-18 (C/D and E/F), EA-6B, SH-60R, V-22, P-3, EP-3.
ACETEF is a premiere ground test facility whose primary purpose is to test installed aircraft systems in an integrated multi-spectral warfare environment using state-of-the art simulation and stimulation technology. Aircraft platforms, typically placed in an anechoic chamber, are deceived through a combination of simulation by digital computers and stimulation by computer-controlled environment generators that provide radio frequency, electro-optical, and laser stimuli which duplicate real signals in a combat mission environment. ACETEF has several laboratories which provide signal generation, man-in-the-loop cockpits, high performance computing and warfare environments. These laboratories can work autonomously or collectively to provide varying levels of test and analysis capabilities. Because of the robust and flexible modeling and simulation architecture created for the more stringent installed systems testing performed at ACETEF, a wide venue of other RDT&E capabilities have emerged and been exploited to support the systems development process. ACETEF has supported the systems development process from early mission needs and requirements development, through operational testing, and extending into training.
While every project utilizing ACETEF resources can laud cost and schedule benefits, a few examples of the most recent (1997/98) successes are as follows:
During 1997, the Aircraft Simulation Team (F/A-18 E/F, F/A-18 C/D, F-14, V-22 high fidelity cockpit simulators) logged more than 3,700 hours saving the government over $10 million in flight test time.
During 1998 DT of Navy's Super Hornet radar warning receivers and jammers, the government flight test director Commander Robert Wirt stated, "We accomplished in the ACETEF, at a significantly reduced cost to the program, what would have easily taken months to do in flight test". "The Super Hornet was subjected to tests against hi-fidelity, hi-density threat scenarios that stressed the onboard systems far beyond that which would be encountered in combat. The aviators and tax payers can certainly rest easy about the "bang for the buck" resulting from ACETEF." ACETEF resources utilized for this test were the Tactical Anechoic Chamber and the Advanced Tactical Electronic Warfare Simulator.
In a Navy message from Fleet Fighter Squadron 101, ACETEF/Manned Flight Simulator (MFS) was praised for their efforts in the delivery of 2F95A F-14D Simulators stating that "The 2F95A meets or exceeds the communities requirements, was delivered on time, and is continuing to be supported ensuring that it matches fleet configuration. I am confident that one of the significant benefits from the improved 2F95A will be an increase in first time FRS carrier qualification." Additionally it was stated that "The Tomcat community and Navy would greatly benefit from continued innovation in contracting and utilization of entities like MFS to fulfill future simulation needs."
During 1998 OT of an installed AN/ALR-67(v)3 radar warning receiver, ACETEF was commended by the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, Philip E. Coyle. In a letter to the Chief of Naval Operations encouraging higher levels of institutional funding for ACETEF, he stated, "It is no exaggeration that without this support, budget pressures will prevent us from capitalizing on the ACETEF capabilities at Pax River in OT&E, electronic warfare systems will be less understood, and we will deliver less capable systems to the warfighter."
ACETEF also implemented and streamlined the process of rolling RDT&E investment and technology into the training world. The success of AH-1W Cobra, F-14 Tomcat, and UH-1N Huey trainer prototype design and build programs saved customers $42 million compared to their estimated costs under the normal procurement processes.
ACETEF continues to be the leader in Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) war games. It conducted four of the six campaign-level war games (during FY94-96); both of the mission-level war games (in FY-97); and conducted two of the five man-in-the-loop (MITL) war games (including the first-ever MITL war game, during 11-22 May 98). The use of modeling and simulation tools is expected to result in cost and schedule benefits throughout the life cycle development.
