US DoD programmes using COTS IT Army programmes

1. The U.S. Army's future efforts to detect buried mines and enemy equipment hidden in foliage are expected to reap the benefits of a new radar research project that uses advanced COTS technology including state-of-the-art multiprocessors, transmitters, and analogue-to-digital converters.

2. The US Army CHS (Common Hardware/Software) program will equip its battle command systems, from echelons above corps to foxhole, with common hardware and software. It aims to improve interoperability and lower life-cycle costs by standardising battlefield C^ automation through centralised buys of NDI, standardised protocols, and reusable common software. The program provides common hardware and software to over 80 Army and DoD customers. Four hardware versions are available using RISC or 486 processors. The CHS contract was awarded to GTE in April 95 and extended to August 97. CHS-2 is a follow-on to the CHS-1 contract and version 2 equipment began delivery February 96.®''

3. The U.S. Army is underwriting a COTS program to develop future digital radio. This programme is expected to emerge after the year 2000 and is to evolve from three more immediate communications programs: the near-term digital radio, the surrogate digital radio, and the Speakeasy.

4. The U.S. Army's intelligence and electronic warfare common sensor program (lEWCS), through the use of COTS is putting in place a basic system that can be changed over time. An open architecture using commercial standards has been adopted to provide the flexibility of changing the system over time by replacing parts as opposed to complete new replacement. The lEWCS system consists of four subsystems providing electronic support measures, electronic countermeasures, precision location, and electronic intelligence. While the sub­ systems themselves are custom designs, many of their components are commercial items. The system will be installed on the Army EH-60L Blackhawk helicopter and high mobility multi­ purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV's). In addition to being common across platforms, the lEWCS program is common across military services.

5. The combat terrain information system (CTIS) program is an open system solution to the need to provide army terrain analysts with computer-based tools that combine COTS hardware and software, government-developed analytical models, and existing software. The COTS packages form the core of CTIS: ARC/INFO, the leading CIS package, and ERDAS IMAGINE the leading image-processing package. One of the most important and challenging aspects of the CTIS is that the resulting system will comply with Army and DoD standards for software development and also with emerging commercial standards.

Air Force programmes

1. The electro-optical subsystem for the E-3 AWACS extended airborne global launch evaluator program is an integrated suite of NDI hardware adopted to meet the mission requirements for detection and tracking of theatre ballistic missiles. In this program, existing inffared/electro- optic system and processing hardware and software for object tracking and system management are being customized and integrated with multiple sensors.

2. The Air Force Wright Laboratories has contracted for a ‘COTS-based real-time avionics parallel computer.’ The aim of this two-year program is to build and demonstrate a prototype multiprocessor for use in real-time avionics applications. The prototype will use as far as possible COTS software and hardware, including hardware based on the IEEE Scaleable Coherent Interface 1596-1992 standard.

3. The U.S. Air Force and National Weather Service are developing a new 449MHz profiler radar technology using COTS components as much as possible. The system will replace an existing radar at Vandenburg air force base with the Weather Service deploying the next three systems in Alaska. The COTS components will interface with post processing and instrument control developmental items not accommodated by existing COTS profiler system designs.

4. The U.S. Air Force has initiated a COTS program called Digital Warrior which integrates the gathering of intelligence, planning of missions, mission preview and debriefing in an electronics suite that consists of hardware available from an average suburban computer store.

Navy programmes

1. The signal processing capacity of current submarine sonars has been exhausted, and this limits the Navy's ability to implement available acoustic improvements. The process of developing military hardware to give these systems the needed processing capacity will take too long and is too expensive. Instead, the Acoustic Improvement Program for submarine sonar systems takes advantage of new technologies available in COTS and other NDI hardware and software products rapidly to develop and deploy new operational capabilities. This approach will also provide substantial growth capacity for future upgrades. The Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion program is a four-phase evolutionary development program that ensures acoustic superiority for the SSN 688, 6881 and SSBN 726 classes of submarines through the rapid introduction of new development capabilities.

2. In the command centre for the U.S. Navy's new attack submarine, 78% of the hardware and software will be COTS and is being projected by the prime contractor to result in a five-to-one reduction in development and acquisition costs. Of the 5.4 million lines of code required for the submarine's onboard computers, 4.1 million will be COTS. Use of other NDI software is expected to reduce the total software for the new submarines’ UNIX®-based system to 485,000 lines of code. An ‘open system architecture’ along with COTS also allows a substantial reduction in electronic modules in the command centre.®'^

3. MSTRAP provides the Navy's surface ships with a highly capable torpedo alert system to defend against torpedo attack. The system design is based, in large part, on the use of COTS electronics and existing cabinetry. MSTRAP also features an ‘open architecture’ approach to surface ship combat design which translates into reduced costs and shorter time frames to incorporate future combat system upgrades.

4. The LEAD defensive subsystem integrates existing submarine countermeasures with proven chaff and infrared launching systems. The LEAD design is totally based on existing systems and is truly an NDI item. The approach taken with LEAD makes it instantly compatible and launchable from every surface ship in the U.S. Navy and virtually all allied navies.

Strategic Computing Initiative

In Computer Ethics Tom Forester and Perry Morrison discuss artificial intelligence and expert systems. They highlight wasteful DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) funding to develop key we£Ç)ons and systems as part of the US Strategic Computing Initiative. These include;

• An intelligent fighter pilot's assistant to help, under the stress of high-g manoeuvres, plan target approaches and evasive actions while monitoring threats.

• Development of prototype autonomous reconnaissance vehicles to operate in enemy territory and transmit tactical information to a computerised headquarters.

• Expert systems to help generals facing the complexity and speed of modem war make correct decisions.

The authors are sceptical about such programmes, highlighting the problems of machines recognising objects in dynamic environments with camouflage, poor visibility and seasonal variations. They do not believe a twenty-ton intelligent monster blundering around a forest can run into tank and aircraft mock-ups and distinguish them from the real thing, especially in a hostile situation demanding real time decisions. They conclude that such solutions cannot be cost effective and are tantamount to burning money.

However, people were sceptical about the telephone and the UK initially predicted the need for only six computers. Thus it is clearly dangerous to pre-judge situations as the benefits are often unpredictable. How far COTS IT is being used in these programs and the extent to which COTS IT may bring early solutions to such applications is also a key factor.

5.9 Conclusions

IT is likely to be more pervasive in the armed forces than any other twentieth century innovation and will affect most aspects of military procurement and operations. With government pressures driving down military budgets, COTS IT is seen as a key factor in economically maintaining equipment capabilities and UK MoD and US DoD are committed to its use. Both already have numerous COTS IT-based programmes and diagrams illustrate how widely COTS IT can be deployed in equipment. Industry is reacting positively to the resultant changes.