CDS Briefing

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CFICSE
COTS Software Applicability 28 October
1999 Presented by Capt Henry Joneit DAEPM(FT)
4-4-3
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AIM

• To Discuss the Applicability of COTS Software for
  use in Military Avionics Systems

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Outline

• What Is COTS?
• Why Choose COTS?
• COTS in DND
• Application Successes
• Issues
• Conclusion

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What is COTS?

• Definition - any pre-built software component
  that is used as a part of the
  system under development
• Component could include
• complete application or services
• subsystems, libraries or subroutines
• abstract data types or classes

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Why Choose COTS?

• Ability to quickly adapt to evolving mission
• Minimize the need to develop new systems
• COTS is mandated
• Government technical teams downsize and budgets
  shrink
• Cost effective to satisfy mission requirements

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COTS in DND

• Slow procurement and development process
• Modified COTS
• New releases
• Cost

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COTS in the Air Force

• COTS in infancy in airborne and naval systems
• Reluctance to adopt
• Expected jump in COTS use
• Classes - avionics and mission planning
• E-3A Sentry AWACS is prime candidate

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Application Successes

• Workstations
• Portable Computers
• Airborne Systems
• Radar

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Workstations

• CASS - Consolidated Automated Support System
• common test and measurement workstation
• ultimate goal to have common Automatic Test
  Equipment

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Portable Computers

• Mission planning systems
• Laptop mission planning computers for pilot use
  on flight line
• Squadron deployment - computer immediately ready
  for downloading up to the minute flight plans and
  intelligence data

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Radar Signal Processing

• 3d radar for airborne reconnaissance
• 3d imaging requires phenomenal amounts of signal
  processing
• Require a degree of high performance processing
  power for which commercial computers are well
  suited

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Airborne Systems

• E-2C Hawkeye
• Predator UAV

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Issues

• Impact on Life Cycle
• New Trade-offs and Risks
• System Reliability
• glue code
• integrating without compromising strict
  reliability and availability required of
  mission-critical systems

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Issues (cont.)

• Labour intensive
• Most COTS components considered black boxes with
  no warranties
• Must maintain existing level of performance when
  upgraded components are introduced

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Conclusion

• Consider COTS when defining requirements
• Need COTS knowledgeable people

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Questions?