The Defense Dept.'s test and evaluation infrastructure is in the early stages of a sweeping, budget-driven transition that will see large range complexes, resources and missions consolidated across service lines. Faced with inevitable cuts, forward-looking Pentagon leaders already have taken steps to preempt military service and field unit parochialism in the name of increased overall efficiency.

With two small spacecraft, NASA hopes to advance the U.S. position in the commercially important light satellite arena and show the aerospace industry how it intends to reform procurement and program management. The selection last week of two smallsat teams, led by CTA, Inc., and TRW, Inc., was heralded by Administrator Daniel S. Goldin as an exemplar of the "better, faster, cheaper" approach.

The Defense Dept.'s testing, evaluation and training future is evolving today at the White Sands Missile Range, a facility Pentagon officials call "a model of U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force cooperation." The three services routinely support each other's tests, sharing resources and expertise through an integrated, businessbased arrangement.

The U.S. Justice Dept, has joined a whistle-blower suit brought against General Electric Co. alleging engine testing fraud, even though the department is still investigating whether the accusations have any merit. The suit, originally filed by GE engineer Ian Johnson, alleges that the company made false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. military concerning electric bonding work on a wide variety of the engines it produces.