Some of the programs that will no longer be assessed by the Pentagon's independent weapons tester include efforts that "could enable the Golden Dome architecture," two Democrats wrote.
"I have serious concerns about whether you will have the resources you need to accomplish your stated mission,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren during a confirmation hearing today.
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
"A comprehensive internal review has identified redundant, non-essential, non-statutory functions within ODOT&E that do not support operational agility or resource efficiency, affecting our ability to rapidly and effectively deploy the best systems to the warfighter," the defense secretary wrote in a new memo.
“These albatrosses [have been] dragging the department down for decades. This is the year we are going to get these programs delivered," said Frank Calvelli, space acquisition head.
DIU is now seeking commercial materials and systems, such as for propulsion and alternative navigation, to test on its planned hypersonic test jet.
The report, without "controlled unclassified information" redactions, discusses concerns with major weapons programs from ships to planes to hypersonic missiles.
The military space sector is evolving fast. Get the latest from Space Force and industry officials on what’s next for acquisition, policy and training in a new Breaking Defense eBook.
The new surface vessel will play a key role in filling capability gaps created when the Navy's mine countermeasure ships are retired.
UISS will be a key mine countermeasures asset for the Navy moving forward, but it experienced significant issues during testing last fall, according to new details initially hidden from public view.
In a letter obtained by Breaking Defense, lawmakers called on Sec. Austin to review the "controlled unclassified information" and “publicly release the greatest amount of information possible about these systems, consistent with the continued protection of sensitive information.”
Pentagon testers take issue with comms, guns and durability over tough terrain for the troop carrier.
Balancing security and access to data are critical to providing users with trustworthy, reliable data for real-time decisions.
"By caving to pressure inside the Pentagon and hiding unclassified information behind a pseudo classification, the current leaders of DOT&E are undermining the effectiveness of their own agency," said Dan Grazier, a fellow with the Project on Government Oversight.
The Pentagon's top weapons tester says the service has "limited flight test opportunities" to support putting a hypersonic weapon onboard the Zumwalt class.
"I worry that this will end up [resulting] in a watered down version of the report that makes it more difficult for the press and the public to make sure that we are buying weapon systems that are effective and safe,” said Mandy Smithberger of the Project On Government Oversight.
The Pentagon’s top tester, DOT&E, had urged the Army to take more time. But Army leaders said today they’ve got plenty of field tests scheduled with real soldiers.