# Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) — Program Element 0605118OTE

**Program element:** 0605118OTE  
**Component:** Defense-Wide  
**Appropriation:** 0460 — RDT&E, Defense-Wide  
**Budget Activity:** 6 — RDT&E Management Support  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605118OTE

## Summary

Defense-Wide funding falls 33% to a $101.4M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 50% (to $151.5M); the Senate added 69% (to $171.4M); House appropriators added 15% (to $116.4M).

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 136.2 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 151.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 101.4 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 127.9 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 130.5 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 133.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 136.1 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 101.4 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 151.5 | +50.2 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 171.4 | +70.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 116.4 | +15.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000310 | OTE | 136.2 | 151.5 | 101.4 | −33% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 000310 — OTE

The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) was created by Congress in 1983. The Director is prescribed, by authority of the Secretary of War, policies and procedures for the conduct of operational test and evaluation (OT&E) in the Department of War (DoW). The Director provides guidance to and consults with the Secretary of War, the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, and the Service Secretaries with respect to OT&E. DOT&E's provides oversight to a wide range of the Department’s acquisitions programs, including Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) and programs from across each of the six adaptive acquisition pathways . Programs identified as MDAPs for the purposes of test and evaluation may not proceed beyond low-rate initial production (BLRIP) until initial OT&E of the program is complete. DOT&E is involved early in the planning phase of each program to ensure adequate testing is planned and executed. Key elements of DOT&E's oversight authority include: - Approval of component Test and Evaluation Master Plans (TEMPs). - Approval of component OT&E test plans (TPs). - Oversight of military department preparation for and conduct of field operational tests; analysis and evaluation of the resultant test data; the assessment of the adequacy of the executed test and evaluation; and assessment of the operational effectiveness, suitability, and survivability of the defense business and weapon systems. - Reporting results of OT&E that support BLRIP decisions to the Secretary of War and Congress, and providing an annual report summarizing all OT&E activities and the adequacy of test resources within the DoW during the previous fiscal year. - Review of DoW budgets and financial matters related to OT&E, and recommendations to the Secretary of War on all matters relating to operational test facilities and equipment. DOT&E also oversees and resources OT&E community efforts to plan and execute joint operational evaluations of information assurance (cyber survivability) and interoperability of fielded systems and networks during major Combatant Command (CCMD) and Service exercises. DOT&E reports the mission-focused trends and findings in the annual report and provides a mission risk assessment each fiscal year.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) | 136.2 | 133.5 | 101.4 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) was created by Congress in 1983. The Director is prescribed, by authority of the Secretary of War, policies and procedures for the conduct of operational test and evaluation (OT&E) in the Department of War (DoW). The Director provides guidance to and consults with the Secretary of War, the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, and the Service Secretaries with respect to OT&E.

## Related program elements

- [0604679D8Z — Office of Strategic Capital (OSC)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604679D8Z) (Defense-Wide)
- [0205620N — Surface ASW Cmbt Sys Integr](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0205620N) (Navy)
- [0901598C — Management HQ - MDA](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0901598C) (Defense-Wide)
- [0603582N — Combat System Integration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603582N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605118OTE (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605118OTE")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*