Short Courses
The following short courses were offered by DEPS and ITEA on 31 January 2022 in conjunction with the 2022 Joint Conference on T&E Support
to Prototyping and Experimentation.
Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits were awarded for completion of the short courses.
Note that while all short courses are unclassified, some had additional participation requirements,
which are listed below and are identified in the Classification field in the course descriptions.
- Open/ Distribution A - Any registrant may participate.
- Distribution C - Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the federal government or its contractors.
- Distribution D - Restricted to U.S. citizens who are employees of the Department of Defense or its contractors.
Course 1. T&E of HEL Systems
Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution C
Instructor: Dr. Todd Steiner, TRMC
Duration: Half-day course, runs 0800-1200
CEUs awarded: 0.35
Course Description: An introduction to fundamental considerations for the test and evaluation (T&E) of High Energy Laser (HEL)
weapon systems. Students will be given an overview of the various distinct types of HEL testing, including example test concepts/configurations,
considerations for test instrumentation, and key testing issues, such as safety and environmental concerns.
Topics to be covered include:
- HEL employment/testing challenges
- Types of HEL testing
- Lethality phenomenology testing
- HEL effects
- HEL lethality testing types and test diagnostics
- System output testing
- System performance testing
- HEL examples of static ground testing, dynamic OT, OT/Live
- HEL test measures
- Instrumentation Considerations
- HEL instrumentation summary
- Instrumentation protection
- Non-intrusive measurements
- HEL testing considerations
- HEL testing issues
- HEL testing safety
- Test planning tools
Intended Audience: T&E engineers who may be responsible for planning, supporting, and/or executing range tests that involve HEL
weapon systems.
Instructor Biography: Dr. Todd Steiner is the Principal Scientist for the Test and Evaluation Science and Technology Program within the Test Resource Management Center under USD R&E. He leads the TRMC's Directed Energy Test and Evaluation Portfolio and is responsible for the DE Test Investment Roadmap. He has 40 years of experience in DOD RDT&E and has worked in the Directed Energy field since the mid-1990's, including work on the Airborne Laser Program and the Active Denial Program.
Course 2. T&E of HPM Systems
Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution C
Instructor: Jeff Schleher, American Systems
Duration: Half-day course, runs 0800-1200
CEUs awarded: 0.35
Course Description: The short course is an introduction to the testing of high power radio frequency weapons. The course contains a short introduction to the fundamentals of these high power microwave (HPM) weapons to establish a common vocabulary. The focus of the course is on test practices as they apply to HPM weapons for U.S. system testing and susceptibility
testing as specified in MIL STD 464C. HPM instrumentation, test measures, and analysis make up a section of the course. Various presentations address military applications of HPM weapons and how fielded systems have been tested. Substantial new HPM test equipment has been recently made available to military test ranges and developmental laboratories. The course will address the
availability, location, and procedures for these test capabilities as well as the process used to determine what test equipment was needed. A portion of the course will address the specialized requirements of these systems for safety considerations and permitting required for testing to proceed.
Topics include:
- HPM Fundamentals
- Testing Fundamentals as Applied to HPM
- Test and Evaluation HPM Environment
- Sources for HPM Testing and Where to Find Them
- HPM Test Locations
- HPM Test Instrumentation and Setup
- Safety and Spectrum Management
Intended Audience: This course is appropriate for managers and analysts requiring an overview of HPM weapons and how they are tested
in addition to new HPM field test engineers. A background in science and engineering at least to the technicial level is required to understand
the technical portion of the course.
Instructor Biography: Jeff Schleher has spent 40-years in military test and is an early member of ITEA, participating in concept,
developmental, and operational test. Mr. Schleher's early test activities focused on large radar and space system testing, but since the 1990's
he has engaged in high power microwave test support. Mr. Schleher's current activities are as a subject matter expert for the Test Resource
Management Center science and technology efforts to provide military test ranges with necessary equipment and capabilities to support testing
of high powered microwave weapon and modern electronic warfare systems. Previously, he supported the acquisition of high power microwave sources
and sensors through the Directed Energy Test and Evaluation Capability. Mr. Schleher is retired from the Air Force and is the current president
of the Albuquerque Chapter of the Association of Old Crows.
Course 3. Introduction to Cybersecurity T&E Virtual Course
Classification: Unclassified, Public Release (Dist A)
Instructor: Jean Petty, MITRE Corporation
Duration: Half-day course, runs 0800-1200
CEUs awarded: 4
Course Description: This tutorial is intended for managers and test and evaluation practitioners who are planning and conducting test and evaluation of systems in cyberspace. The tutorial introduces key concepts associated with cyberspace, cyber operations, and cyber test and evaluation in a digital engineering environment. The material covers both offensive and defensive cyber operations and strategies for defense. Test and Evaluation within the DoD and DHS acquisition processes and pathways are addressed including planning, resourcing, and conducting cyber test and evaluation with a mission focus. Cyber table-top methodologies and specific cyber test events including cooperative vulnerability and penetration assessment and and adversarial assessment events will be addressed, including planning and conducting these events. Available resources, ongoing initiatives, and future capabilities will be covered.
Topics include:
- Understanding the cyber threat
- Cyber terms and definitions
- The cyber attack lifecycle and threats
- Cybersecurity in DoD and DHS Acquisition requirements and test and evaluation
- Cybersecurity in acquisition planning and testing in a digital engineering environment
- Cyber Table Top exercises and cyber ranges
- Cooperative vulnerability and penetration assessment and adversarial assessment events
- Top 10 best practices for cybersecurity test and evaluation
Intended Audience: This tutorial will provide essential information to managers and test and evaluation practitioners in planning and conducting cyber test and evaluation.
Instructor Biography: Jean Petty is a Senior Principal Cybersecurity Engineer at the MITRE Corporation. She has over 30 years of experience as a systems and cybersecurity engineer, with the most recent fifteen years focused on test and evaluation. She has supported DoD and DHS operational and developmental test oversight organizations and provided direct support in the area of test and evaluation to major acquisition programs. She has developed guidance and policy for cyber test and evaluation that is currently in use in both the DoD and DHS. She is a certified DoD Cyber Table Top facilitator and a graduate of the Defense Acquisition University PMT-401 Program Manager course.
Course 4. Introduction to the DoD Test & Evaluation Process
Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution D
Instructor: Mark Neice, DEPS
Duration: Half-day course, runs 1300-1700
CEUs awarded: 0.35
Course Description: This course discusses the fundamentals of testing DoD systems, with an emphasis on
directed energy systems. Topics include:
- Overview of Defense Acquisition System
- Where do we start? - Good requirements
- The role of the Systems Engineering process
- Test Planning - when and what do we do it?
- Test Development Strategy
- Test & Evaluation Master Plan
- Role of Test Lead manager
- Types of testing/when started/finished
- Developmental Testing
- Initial Operational T&E
- Live Fire T&E
- Test execution and reporting
- Directed energy testing issues
- Instrumentation
- Safety
- Training
- Best practices and lessons learned
- Some important test parameters of laser systems
Intended Audience: While the primary audience for the course remains DoD staff, DEPS shares the course broadly, not
as a blueprint, but in a spirit of collegiality and an interest in contributing to others' efforts and continuing our collective
dialogue about Directed Energy. As a basic introduction to T&E, it is suitable for personnel in other technical acquisition
management and program management positions who want to understand more about T&E and the critical role it plays in DE system
acquisition.
Instructor Biography: Mark Neice is the Executive Director of the Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS). DEPS fosters research and development in Directed Energy, to include high-energy laser and high-power microwave technologies for national defense and civilian applications, through professional communication and education. Mr Neice is twice retired from the federal government; the last time in December 2012, after 37 years of military and civilian service.
Mr. Neice is formerly the Director of the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office, working for the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering. There he supervised the research and development of solid-state, free electron & gas laser devices, beam control technologies, lethality analysis, and the modeling & simulation tools that create military applications of laser energy for combat operations.
Course 5. Design of Tests for Transitioning DE Weapon Systems to Acquisition Programs for Warfighter Fielding
Classification: Unclassified, Limited Distribution D
Instructors:
- Robert Newton, USAF, Retired
- Dan A. Isbell, USAF, Retired
Duration: Half-day course, runs 1300-1700
CEUs awarded: 0.35
Course Description: Test & Evaluation (T&E) of Directed Energy (DE) Systems is nothing new; however, the purpose of testing is changing.
DE's many decades of research focused testing is now transitioning to support programs of record that lead to fielded DE weapons systems. This
course is designed as an entry level short course where the instructors will briefly review the T&E processes and highlight applicable DoD guidance.
Since Directed Energy (DE) is a technology very different from the kinetic weapons that form the basis of DoD written guidance, the instructors will
apply the core T&E principles to DE weapon system development. This will include familiarization about methodologies along with unique test range
resources that are required for DE weapons T&E.
There are differences in DE T&E phases. For instance, laboratory Research and Development (R&D) T&E has a science and engineering focus. In contrast,
DE T&E for defense acquisition of fieldable DE weapons for warfighters has a more combat operational focus. The course will highlight the distinct
differences between these types of DE T&E to include the spectrum of R&D T&E, Developmental T&E (DT&E) and Operational T&E (OT&E).
The phases of DT&E and OT&E for DE weapon systems are the types of testing that lead to fielding a DE weapon system after it has been proven to
meet technical system performance requirements, military utility, and operational suitability requirements. These combat-relevant areas of T&E also
include Logistics T&E (LT&E), which are focused on validated reliability, maintainability, sustainability and other specific logistics requirements
that help to determine DE weapon system mission availability in a realistic combat environment.
The course will emphasize the need to consider integrated mission-level T&E for DE weapons, since the cost (in time and resources) is very high
if done in a sequential DT&E followed by OT&E, followed by LT&E (as was historically done for other types of systems). Live fire testing of DE weapon
systems is costly, and the resources are precious and few in terms of full-scale DE weapon systems test ranges and instrumentation. Careful design
of test principles can result in much more effective and efficient DE weapons T&E by integrating all the elements of DT&E, OT&E, and LT&E to the
maximum extent possible.
Intended Audience:To understand the material in this course, the attendee should have already completed DE 101, or have prior familiarization with DE weapon systems.
Instructor Biographies: Robert (Bob) Newton is an advanced systems developer with nearly 20-year DE experience. Currently he leads a defense
technology company in applying his over 35 years of US Air Force and commercial industry experience. Beginning with a technical education in Aerospace
Engineering from The Ohio State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, his mission perspective comes from F-16 fighter and special
operations. He is an acquisition professional and test pilot with over 4500 hours in over 60 types of aircraft. His specific acquisition related
responsibilities involved F-16 performance / flying qualities / avionics / sensors / weapons flight test and airworthiness certification, F-22
program management, Air Force Material Command headquarters, Pentagon Air Staff, and industry. He has commanded flying units and is a veteran
of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Dan Isbell brings a broad range of expertise and experience to the defense and technology industry with his 27 years of service in the US Air Force.
His insight comes from an educational background that includes a Master's degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, a
Master's degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute
of Technology. During his Air Force career he also completed flight school, test pilot school, Senior Acquisition Manager's course, Industrial College
of the Armed Forces and the professional military service schools.
Mr. Isbell's formal education and training founded his broad experience in aircraft and weapons airworthiness certification and program management,
business development and integration, technology and engineering, fighter aircraft and special operations. His positions include Chief, F-16 Systems
Program Office, Commander of 514th Flight Test Squadron, Operations Research Systems Analyst for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Program Analysis &
Evaluation, Air Vehicle Program Manager for F/A-22 Systems Program Office, Chief of Weapon System Sector and Technology Integration Lead for Battlefield
Air Operations Kit National Team.
Course 6. TRMC Solutions for Distributed T&E Experimentation Engineering CANCELLED
Classification: Unclassified, Public Release (Dist A)
Instructor: Gene Hudgins, KBRWyle, TENA/JMETC
Duration: Half-day course, runs 1300-1700
CEUs awarded: 4
Course Description: Together, TENA and JMETC enable interoperability among ranges, facilities, and simulations in a timely and cost-efficient manner while BDA enables the application of advanced analytics tools to help quickly process, visualize, understand, and report what we have learned. TENA provides for real-time system interoperability, as well as interfacing existing range assets, C4ISR systems, and simulations; fostering reuse of range assets and future software systems. JMETC is a distributed, LVC capability which uses a hybrid network architecture; the JMETC Secret Network (JSN), based on the SDREN, is used for secret testing and the JMETC Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) Network (JMN) is the T&E enterprise network solution for all classifications and cyber testing. JMETC provides readily-available connectivity to the Services' distributed test and training capabilities and simulations, as well as industry resources. Big Data Analytics (BDA) has demonstrated that applying enterprise big data analytic tools and techniques to T&E leads to faster and more informed decision making that reduces overall program cost and risk. This tutorial addresses using the well-established TENA and JMETC tools and capabilities combined with BDA tools and techniques to reduce risk in an often-uncertain environment; regularly saving ranges time and money in the process.
Topics to be covered include:
- Test Resource Managment Center (TRMC) Structure
- Use of the Test and Training Enabling Archtecture (TENA) on Test and Taining Ranges
- Use of the Joint Mission Environment Testing Capablity (JMETC) for distributed test and training
- Cybersecurity Services offered by the TRMC
- Big Data and Data Analyic services offer by the TRMC
Intended Audience: Anyone wanting to use Enterprise Services of the TRMC will beneifit from the Tutorial. Services include use of TENA, JMETC, Cybersecurity and Big Data/Data Analytics.
Instructor Biography: Gene Hudgins works for KBRwyle as Director of Test and Training Environments and supports the Test Resource Management Center's (TRMC's) Test and Training Enabling Architecture (TENA) Software Development Activity (SDA) and Joint Mission Environment Testing Capability (JMETC) as the lead for the TENA and JMETC User Support Team. Since October 1998, the Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP) has overseen the development of TENA - which drastically improves range interoperability and resource reuse among DoD range systems, facilities, and simulations. As a key member of the TENA SDA and JMETC Program Office, Gene is responsible for Distributed Event Coordination, Design, and Integration. Gene also manages TENA training and Range Commanders Council coordination. Gene is an active member of the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) and recently served as President on the Executive Committee of the ITEA National Board of Directors (BOD). Prior to this work for the TRMC, Gene worked on Eglin AFB as an Instrumentation Engineer and Department Head. Gene has a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University (War Eagle!), a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), and an MBA from the University of West Florida.
