Achieving optimum test by applying standardization

Over the past two decades, the US Department of Defense (DoD) has seen the introduction of weapon systems that do not meet their diagnostic requirements when initially fielded. Some suffer false alarm rates over eighty percent [1]. During a product's lifecycle, the ability to determine how well it performs is based on the capability to test and the evaluation of those tests. Different tests and evaluations are required throughout the product's lifecycle. These tests must, therefore, have the standards that define parameters, techniques and procedures for measurements that present an accurate and precise communication of information. In order to effectively accomplish this task, the development of quality tests capable of supporting these tasks must be defined and documented for the design, production, and operations-and-support phases of a system's lifecycle. As a product proceeds through its life cycle, the information collected at each phase must be used for the support of subsequent phases.