The U.S. Army Developmental Test Command (DTC) is the technical tester for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). DTC is the Army's premier organization for conducting developmental testing of weapons and equipment. With the largest, most diverse array of highly instrumented ranges, test courses and test technologies in the Department of Defense, DTC tests military hardware and software of every description under precise conditions across the full spectrum of arctic, tropical, desert and other natural or controlled environments. DTC offers a full range of test services, including providing unbiased test data on the technical feasibility of early concepts, determining system performance and safety, assessing technical risks during system development, confirming designs and validating manufacturers' facilities and processes at both system and component levels. DTC offers its testing capabilities to all U.S. military services and Defense Department organizations, other federal agencies, state and local governments, foreign and allied governments and private industry.

DTC's technical support of the Army and the Department of Defense is a crucial element of military readiness as America confronts global terrorism and promotes peace and stability in a volatile world. Not only are DTC test programs supporting the readiness of our men and women in uniform to defend America abroad; DTC scientists, engineers and technicians are also committed to supporting homeland defense initiatives whenever possible.

DTC's partnership with senior Army leaders and program managers responsible for acquiring weapon systems is helping the U.S. Army achieve a revolutionary transformation. While DTC test support and unbiased test data are enabling the Army to field current systems that are unsurpassed in capability, early involvement with the all the key players in test planning and execution will enable the Army to realize its Objective Force and field technologically complex Future Combat Systems (FCS). DTC is working closely with program managers and acquisition executives to support efficient and cost-effective test planning, including streamlining the test program when feasible. As an active member of integrated product teams (IPTs) that include testers and evaluators as well as program managers and executive officers, DTC supports the development of the acquisition strategy, statement of work, performance specification, and test/simulation execution strategy.

A DTC initiative called the Versatile Information System Integrated Online, or VISION, uses high-performance computing, state-of-the-art instrumentation and modern communications technologies to make test information rapidly available on the Internet to program managers, system evaluators, operational testers and others involved with test planning and execution. A major component of VISION is its digital online library, which provides critical information to decision makers with only a few keystrokes or mouse clicks.

In addition to conducting rigorous performance tests on weapon systems and materiel, DTC tests equipment and systems under a variety of conditions and possible uses to ensure the safety of soldiers and operators. Test personnel report safety risks and, in some cases, recommend use restrictions that enhance safety. Validating the safety of systems and equipment is the key thrust of DTC's safety verification program, a critical part of the DTC test mission.