Node A6 · Acronym decoder
DOT&E
Director, Operational Test and Evaluation
What it actually means
The OSD official — Senate-confirmed, reporting to the Secretary of Defense and Congress — who oversees operational testing of major programs, approves their test plans, and issues independent reports on effectiveness and suitability. DOT&E's annual report is famously blunt, which is the institutional point: an assessment the program can't soften.
Where you'll meet it
Operational test oversight of programs on the DOT&E oversight list.