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DOD test managers describe Mach TB, SkyRange and AI data tools to speed hypersonics and autonomous testing
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Summary
George Rumford, director of the Test Resource Management Center, told the House subcommittee the department is repurposing platforms and building programs — Mach TB, SkyRange, Hypercore and Overland corridors — and deploying an AI analytics stack called Cheetahs to accelerate hypersonics and autonomous systems testing.
George Rumford, director of the Test Resource Management Center, told the House Cyber, IT, and Innovation Subcommittee the department must "rapidly experiment, test, and field new capabilities" and that current business‑as‑usual test approaches will not meet the pace of change.
"If we want to deter or prevail in future conflicts, we must rapidly experiment, test, and field new capabilities," Rumford said.
Rumford highlighted four innovations to accelerate hypersonics testing. Mach TB provides an affordable rapid flight test capability that leverages commercial space launch services to test hypersonic subsystems and materials prior to full‑system flight tests and, in some cases, recover components for post‑test analysis. SkyRange repurposes high‑altitude unmanned aircraft such as Global Hawks and Reapers to serve as flying test ranges and collect telemetry anywhere tests occur. Hypercore (hypersonic correlation) aims to link flight test data with wind‑tunnel results to improve models and simulations. Overland corridors would enable long‑range, land‑based hypersonic flight tests; Rumford said the center will brief Congress on next steps.
On autonomy, TRMC is partnering with DIU, Navy Project Overmatch and INDOPACOM to create mobile test capabilities to stress autonomous systems across changing scenarios and geographies. Rumford said the goal is frequent testing with scenario variability so systems learn to adapt.
On data analytics, Rumford said test data validation and synchronization currently can take weeks and that the center created a capability called Cheetahs — a compilation of commercial software tools with AI/ML components — to compress analysis time from weeks to hours and put test results in developers' hands faster.
Rumford discussed coordination with universities and industry to leverage specialized facilities, and he singled out the Air Force's 412th Test Wing at Edwards as a national asset that has driven some test data analytics innovations. He also said TRMC is implementing the department's software acquisition pathway guidance by establishing common testing standards and integration points to better support DevSecOps approaches.
Members asked how TRMC will partner with DIU and the services; Rumford said the relationship is longstanding and growing, and he emphasized the need to modernize data flows and to integrate more cross‑domain sources of operational data into test and evaluation cycles.
Rumford closed by reiterating the need to speed the design‑test‑fix loop and to harness competition and mobile, software‑centric approaches so test infrastructure can support faster fielding of capabilities.
