Review of Testing and Evaluation Methodology for Biological Point Detectors

This report examines the proposed testing methodology and facility that the Department of Defense (DOD) will use to test and evaluate the effectiveness of its detection system against biological warfare agents—an issue that impacts battlefield missions as well as homeland security missions. The report assesses a proposal to construct a whole system live agent testing facility at West Center Test Center, Dugway Proving Ground in Utah for testing the Joint Biological Point Detection System (JBPDS). Because of scientific and schedule-related risks, the report recommends an alternate approach that focuses test and evaluation efforts on leveraging existing data, improving simulated biological agents for use in testing, testing in conditions that more closely resemble the actual field conditions where the JBPDS would be deployed, and modeling for predicted performance against actual biological agents. The report concludes that an integrated testing and evaluation plan encompassing all of these factors will be needed.