An ACTD IS: - A way to get technology into the hands of operators early, for operational evaluation An ACTD is NOT: - A means of bypassing necessary acquistion processes as a shortcut to deployment

UAVs and the Acquisition Environment Acquisition reform and streamlining have been underway for several years. Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations (ACTDs) are designed to get mature technologies into the hands of users for early evaluation of military utility — before subscribing to a full-scale acquisition program. Essentially, contractors demonstrate and support come-as-you-are systems to combined operator-developer evaluation teams during a two-to-four-year program period (vice the normal ten-year-plus duration of a normal acquisition program). ACTD systems were to include non-developmental item (NDI) and commercial or government off-the-shelf (COTS/GOTS) components where practical. Depending on the operational assessment, one of three ACTD outcomes is envisaged DARP UAVs Predator, DoD’s first ACTD and first to transition to a formal acquisition process, fit outcome #3. DoD’s other three UAV acquisition programs are also ACTDs:4 Global Hawk and DarkStar are the two air vehicle components of the High Altitude Endurance (HAE) UAV ACTD, managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); and Outrider is the air vehicle in the Tactical UAV (TUAV) ACTD, managed by the Navy’s Program Executive Officer for Cruise Missiles and UAVs (PEO(CU)). ACTD Lessons Learned Lessons learned from Predator (and other ACTD) experiences are being applied to the ACTD process in general. As noted in last year’s report: … the Predator ACTD had no projected procurement budget: at its outset (January 1994), nobody knew how well it would perform. Further, while ACTD unit costs may be low (often representing off-the-shelf [OTS] components), militarizing some capabilities and realizing logistics support needs both increase program acquisition costs. For example, while an ACTD Predator demo system cost about $15 million, a combat-ready production system (with configuration changes, added payload and link subsystems, and full integrated logistics support [ILS] provisions) requires about twice that sum. By comparison, the TUAV ACTD includes funding provisions for transition plus significant out-year procurement funds. Eight IPTs [Integrated Product Teams] are active to assure integrated system development. Thus, rather than committing prematurely to a production program before the ACTD results are known, early planning and an LRIP option will optimize the ACTD-to-formal acquisition transition process if the ACTD is deemed successful. With another year’s experience, during which Predator completed its transition to formal acquisition and the TUAV ACTD completed its first year, these initial findings have been reinforced. For example, we have learned that DoD must plan for post-ACTD procurement and support well before a complete assessment of military worth — otherwise the process loses time while acquisition prerequisites are “backed” into place. This is not equivalent to a pre-commitment to proceed; instead, it involves the concurrent completion of key program/budget and operational preparations for acquisition. Our goal has been to reduce unnecessary cost-of-ownership burdens — up front in the development and evaluation periods. Predator Specific success factors included: The importance of technical maturity in avoiding “surprises”; A single, highly qualified program manager for the duration of the ACTD; An early opportunity to demonstrate military worth before requirements “grew” too far. Predator’s value in support of Bosnia operations, while still in ACTD status, is well-known. This, in turn, provided an “umbrella” under which operational shortcomings or needs could be identified and resolved. Two additional lessons were derived from this experience: The need for timely development and coordination of airspace management practices (both at home and abroad); and The importance of logistics, both as an underlay for a successful ACTD and in assuring fielded system suitability. 4 Pioneer is an operational system now fully funded by the Navy, and Hunter is being used for concept development by the Army and other Services.