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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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AIR FORCE SOFTWARE
SUSTAINMENT AND
MAINTENANCE OF
WEAPONS SYSTEMS

Committee on Software Sustainment and
Maintenance of Weapons Systems

Air Force Studies Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

A Consensus Study Report of

images

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, DC
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

This activity was supported by Contract FA8650-18-F-9304 between the United States Air Force and the National Academy of Sciences. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-67812-4
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-67812-9
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/25817

Limited copies of this report may be available through the Air Force Studies Board, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; (202) 334-3111.

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25817.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

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The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.

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Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
×

Image

Consensus Study Reports published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine document the evidence-based consensus on the study’s statement of task by an authoring committee of experts. Reports typically include findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on information gathered by the committee and the committee’s deliberations. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task.

Proceedings published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine chronicle the presentations and discussions at a workshop, symposium, or other event convened by the National Academies. The statements and opinions contained in proceedings are those of the participants and are not endorsed by other participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies.

For information about other products and activities of the National Academies, please visit www.nationalacademies.org/about/whatwedo.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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COMMITTEE ON SOFTWARE SUSTAINMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS

PAUL D. NIELSEN, NAE,1 Software Engineering Institute, Chair

MATTHEW ALEXANDER, MIT Lincoln Laboratories (through May 2019)

TED BOWLDS, IAI North America

JOHN GROSH, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

KEVIN MARTIN, HRL Laboratories

HEATHER PENNEY, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

STEPHEN WELBY, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

REBECCA WINSTON, Winston Strategic Management Consulting

Staff

RYAN MURPHY, Program Officer, Study Director

ADRIANNA HARGROVE, Finance Business Partner

MARGUERITE SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

CATHERINE PUMA, Research Associate

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Engineering.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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AIR FORCE STUDIES BOARD

DOUGLAS M. FRASER, Douglas Fraser, LLC, Chair

KEVIN G. BOWCUTT, NAE,1 The Boeing Company

TED F. BOWLDS, U.S. Air Force (retired)

CLAUDE R. CANIZARES, NAS,2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MARK COSTELLO, Georgia Institute of Technology

BRENDAN B. GODFREY, University of Maryland, College Park

MICHAEL A. HAMEL, U.S. Air Force (retired)

WESLEY HARRIS, NAE, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

JAMES E. HUBBARD JR., NAE, Texas A&M University

LESTER L. LYLES, U.S. Air Force (retired)

WENDY M. MASIELLO, U.S. Air Force (retired)

ALEX MILLER, University of Tennessee

LESLIE ANN MOMODA, HRL Laboratories, LLC

OZDEN OCHOA, Texas A&M University

HON F. WHITTEN PETERS, Williams & Connolly, LLP

HENDRICK RUCK, Edaptive Computing, Inc.

JULIE J.C.H. RYAN, Wyndrose Technical Group

MICHAEL D. SCHNEIDER, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

GRANT H. STOKES, MIT Lincoln Laboratory

ZACHARY TUDOR, Idaho National Laboratory

DEBORAH WESTPHAL, Toffler Associates

MICHAEL YARYMOVYCH, NAE, Sarasota Space Associates

Staff

ELLEN CHOU, Director

GEORGE COYLE, Senior Program Officer

RYAN MURPHY, Program Officer

ADRIANNA HARGROVE, Finance Business Partner

MARGUERITE SCHNEIDER, Administrative Coordinator

CATHERINE PUMA, Research Associate

STEVEN DARBES, Research Associate (through October 2019)

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Engineering.

2 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
×

Preface

Software has become a critical component of almost all systems—commercial and military. In 2011, Marc Andreessen’s article in the Wall Street Journal, “Why Software Is Eating the World,”1 highlighted this fundamental trend. Now, in 2020, this is even more evident. The largest companies based on capitalization are Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon—all software-centric companies. Similarly, defense systems increasingly depend on software for their functionality, inter-connectivity, and evolution. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) recognizes that to continue to be a world-class fighting force, it needs to be a world-class software developer. Recent studies by the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) and the Defense Science Board (DSB) have pointed out that software is always in development, even in what has classically been called the sustainment phase. This new understanding changes the character of the current software maintenance groups, raises the importance of their men and women to the future of the Air Force, and demands enhanced attention.

The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Technology and Logistics (SAF/AQ), requested the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (the National Academies) to conduct a workshop and consensus study to evaluate the current state of software sustainment within the USAF and to recommend changes to the software sustainment enterprise. The statement of task for the study is given in Appendix A.

___________________

1 See M. Andreessen, 2011, Why software is eating the world, Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2011, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576512250915629460.

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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Between November 2018 and August 2019, the study committee held a three-day workshop and four meetings to gather information about the state of software sustainment efforts in the USAF and to hear expert testimony on best practices from industry and other services. Experts consulted included current and former software, acquisition, engineering, and logistics professionals from the Department of Defense, subject matter experts from the Government Accountability Office, the National Defense Industry Association, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, and Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute. Members of the study committee conducted site visits to the 309th Software Engineering Group at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah, and the 402nd Software Engineering Group at Robins Air Force Base in Warner-Robins, Georgia. Meeting agendas are available in Appendix D.

The study committee developed a set of findings, conclusions, and recommendations that, if fully implemented, will help the USAF software sustainment enterprise transition into a modern workforce that is continuously developing capabilities to improve weapons systems and assist warfighters. These recommendations address modern software engineering practices such as agile development2; Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps)3; software factories; and System Integration Laboratories (SILs).4 Improving information technology infrastructure and bringing software engineers into closer interaction with warfighters will allow software development groups to function more efficiently and have greater knowledge about the value their products bring to the USAF mission. In addition, software sustainment involves continuously updating weapons systems, so having data rights written into acquisition and sustainment contracts and access to modern open software architecture tools will facilitate better sustainment in the long term. Furthermore, tracking an inventory of all the software the USAF handles in its programs will allow leadership to plan for the future. These recommendations combine to allow the USAF to better foster an efficient software sustainment

___________________

2 See C. Poland, 2019, “The Air Force Is Becoming More Agile—One Project at a Time,” Wright-Patterson AFB, April 24, 2019, https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1823609/the-air-force-is-becoming-more-agile-one-project-at-a-time/.

3 See S. Lietz, “What Is DevSecOps?” DevSecOps blog, June 1, 2015, https://www.devsecops.org/blog/2015/2/15/what-is-devsecops, accessed June 2, 2020.

4 See V. Siddapureddy, N. Fountain, D. Sanders, and S. Budzik, 2011, “System Integration Laboratory (SIL) Is a Key Tool for Establishing and Testing Systems Engineering Discipline,” 2011 NDIA Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium, Systems Engineering and Integration (Se) Mini-Symposium, August 9-11, Dearborn, Michigan, https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a548299.pdf, accessed June 2, 2020.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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strategy that integrates workforce, technology, and program management on the enterprise level.

Paul Nielsen, Chair

Committee on Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Philip Antón, RAND Corporation,

Claude Canizares, NAS,1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Alan Estevez, Deloitte Consulting,

Henry McDonald, NAE,2 University of Tennessee, Chattanooga,

Ozden Ochoa, Texas A&M University,

Fred Schneider, NAE, Cornell University, and

Kevin Sullivan, University of Virginia.

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommenda-

___________________

1 Member, National Academy of Sciences.

2 Member, National Academy of Engineering.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25817.
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tions of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by John P. Stenbit, NAE, TRW Inc. (Retired). He was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

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Modern software engineering practices, pioneered by the commercial software community, have begun transforming Department of Defense (DoD) software development, integration processes, and deployment cycles. DoD must further adopt and adapt these practices across the full defense software life cycle - and this adoption has implications for software maintenance and software sustainment across the U.S. defense community.

Air Force Software Sustainment and Maintenance of Weapons Systems evaluates the current state of software sustainment within the U.S. Air Force and recommends changes to the software sustainment enterprise. This report assesses how software that is embedded within weapon platforms is currently sustained within the U.S. Air Force; identifies the unique requirements of software sustainment; develops and recommends a software sustainment work breakdown structure; and identifies the necessary personnel skill sets and core competencies for software sustainment.

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