Implementing an Architectural Framework to Define and Deliver Net-Centric Capability to Legacy Military Air Assets Operating within a System of Systems

The United States Air Force (USAF) is implementing an integrated net-centric system of systems for airborne operations in support of the global war on terror (GWOT). The GWOT demands that a successful architecture framework transforms and delivers net-centric assets to the war-fighter in a timely manner. A critical component of this implementation is the transformation of legacy strategic air platforms into net-centric air power assets operating within a system of systems. The System Architectural (SA) framework, and the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DoDAF) are ways of managing complexity and organizing information within a system of systems network. This paper will explore and compare these architectural frameworks; show examples used in a system of systems network; and illustrate how the DoDAF can successfully define the transformation of a legacy weapon system into a net-centric asset

ADF capability snapshot 2016: C4ISR—winning in the networked battlespace

Overview This paper provides an assessment and overview of the ADF’s command, control, computing, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (known commonly as ‘C4ISR’) capabilities in the context of the ADF’s goal of pursuing a network-centric warfare capability. The paper is the final part of a series of ADF ‘capability snapshots’. The previous three (Navy, Army and Air Force) were released by ASPI in late 2015

Coalition Battle Management Language (C-BML) Study Group Final Report

Interoperability across Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and Command and Control (C2) systems continues to be a significant problem for today\u27s warfighters. M&S is well-established in military training, but it can be a valuable asset for planning and mission rehearsal if M&S and C2 systems were able to exchange information, plans, and orders more effectively. To better support the warfighter with M&S based capabilities, an open standards-based framework is needed that establishes operational and technical coherence between C2 and M&S systems

Adding Executable Context to Executable Architectures: Enabling an Executable Context Simulation Framework (ECSF)

A system that does not stand alone is represented by a complex entity of component combinations that interact with each other to execute a function. In today\u27s interconnected world, systems integrate with other systems - called a system-of-systems infrastructure: a network of interrelated systems that can often exhibit both predictable and unpredictable behavior. The current state-of-the-art evaluation process of these system-of-systems and their community of practitioners in the academic community are limited to static methods focused on defining who is doing what and where. However, to answer the questions of why and how a system operates within complex systems-of-systems interrelationships, a system\u27s architecture and context must be observed over time, its executable architecture, to discern effective predictable and unpredictable behavior. The objective of this research is to determine a method for evaluating a system\u27s executable architecture and assess the contribution and efficiency of the specified system before it is built. This research led to the development of concrete steps that synthesize the observance of the executable architecture, assessment recommendations provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Code of Best Practice for Command and Control (C2) Assessment, and the metrics for operational efficiency provided by the Military Missions and Means Framework. Based on the research herein, this synthesis is designed to evaluate and assess system-of-systems architectures in their operational context to provide quantitative results

Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model

Architecture frameworks are tools for managing system complexity by structuring data in a common language and format. By characterizing the form, function, and rules governing systems, architecture frameworks serve as a communication tool to stakeholder communities with different views of the system and facilitate comparative evaluation across architectures. The goal of this research is to explore the applicability of architecture frameworks to the study of emergent properties of satellites. The U.S. Department of Defense Architecture Framework was selected to achieve this goal given its orientation towards technical systems in contrast to the majority of architecture frameworks focused on business enterprises. Although developed by military planners in the 1990’s to support the acquisition of interoperable information systems, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be used to connect operational concepts and capabilities to the technical architecture of any system. While the views of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework are well-defined, little guidance is provided on how the views are to be constructed. Vitech Corporation’s software program CORE,® a systems engineering modeling tool with the ability rapidly to produce architecture views from a common data repository, was employed to complete Department of Defense Architecture Frameworks for the Hubble Space Telescope. Upon characterizing Hubble within this common structure, the value of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework for conducting dynamic quantitative analyses of system architectures was explored. A methodology is proposed and tested for evaluating human and robotic architectures for on-orbit servicing—the extension of the useful life of spacecraft through refueling, upgrading, repair, relocation, et al. In particular, a multi-year servicing campaign is modeled for Hubble including behavioral threads that characterize the Orbiting Observatory, servicing architecture, and science customers. Preliminary results indicate that, when coupled with an executable model, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be utilized for dynamic quantitative evaluation of space system architectures. The paper concludes with lessons learned from using the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and proposes improvements for the application of its static views to model-based systems engineering

Status of Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) Implementation within the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC)

The purpose of this research was to identify the current status of the use of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) systems architecture products within the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) program offices. There are regulatory requirements dictating the creation of DoDAF products as annexes to programmatic documentation, such as the Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) requirement for systems architectures as annexes for acquisition milestone decision documentation. In addition, the DoDAF itself identifies several products as being highly applicable for the development of acquisition strategies. This thesis investigated the use of systems architectures, and particularly DoDAF products, within the context of Air Force weapon systems acquisitions, as represented by ASC. The research indicated two conclusions: while programs required to follow the new acquisition processes are doing so, very few are employing systems architectures systematically, and at this point, at least within ASC, the benefits to acquisition program management personnel derived from an architectural context are not yet being realized. These conclusions result in several recommendations to ASC, the DoDAF Working Group, and the systems engineering community in general in terms of making systems architectures the standard way of doing business within Air Force weapon system acquisitions efforts. Specific procurement success stories are documented, including the Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA), the B-2 Group, and the Tanker Modernization Squadron

O conceito “Guerra Centrada em Rede” e a modernização dos sistemas de armas da Força Aérea Portuguesa

A nova vaga civilizacional traduz-se no desvio das atenções para o poder da informação, em detrimento de outras fontes de poder. Tal como em épocas passadas, a instituição militar rapidamente adoptou os novos conceitos percebendo o valor da informação e da sua partilha como vector catalizador do sucesso no combate. A presente investigação pretende avaliar de que forma os recentes sistemas de armas e os programas de modernização da Força Aérea Portuguesa estão de acordo com os requisitos técnicos impostos pelas novas linhas de orientação da NATO, apoiadas em redes globais de informação, de forma a garantir a interoperabilidade das forças nacionais com as forças de outros estados membros da Aliança Atlântica, num hipotético cenário de guerra centrada em rede. As conclusões apresentadas demonstram que os meios aéreos estudados, apesar do esforço realizado pela Força Aérea Portuguesa no sentido de alcançar as metas traçadas pela Aliança Atlântica, apenas garantem níveis baixos ou médios de interoperabilidade, tendo por referência o nível tecnológico aplicado nos sistemas de armas. Abstract: The new civilizational wave reflects a course deviation concerning the attention given to the power of information, leaving behind other sources of power. Like in previous times, military organizations quickly adopted the new concepts, realizing the value and sharing of information in order to enable combat sucess. This investigation intends to evaluate if the recent Portuguese Air Force weapon systems and modernization programs have complied with the technical requirements imposed by the new NATO guidelines, supported by global information networks, in order to assure interoperability between national forces and Alliance member states, in an hipothetic networked-centric warfare scenario. The conclusions of the investigation show that the researched air assets, despite the effort made by the Portuguese Air Force trying to reach the goals established by the Atlantic Organization, can only comply with low and medium levels of interoperability, when referenced to the technical degree applied to the weapon systems

JSB Composability and Web Services Interoperability Via Extensible Modeling & Simulation Framework (XMSF), Model Driven Architecture (MDA), Component Repositories, and Web-based Visualization

Study Report prepared for the U. S. Air Force, Joint Synthetic Battlespace Analysis of Technical Approaches (ATA) Studies & Prototyping Overview: This paper summarizes research work conducted by organizations concerned with interoperable distributed information technology (IT) applications, in particular the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Old Dominion University (ODU). Although the application focus is distributed modeling & simulation (M&S) the results and findings are in general easily applicable to other distributed concepts as well, in particular the support of operations by M&S applications, such as distributed mission operations. The core idea of this work is to show the necessity of applying open standards for component description, implementation, and integration accompanied by aligned management processes and procedures to enable continuous interoperability for legacy and new M&S components of the live, virtual, and constructive domain within the USAF Joint Synthetic Battlespace (JSB). JSB will be a common integration framework capable of supporting the future emerging simulation needs ranging from training and battlefield rehearsal to research, system development and acquisition in alignment with other operational requirements, such as integration of command and control, support of operations, integration of training ranges comprising real systems, etc. To this end, the study describes multiple complementary Integrated Architecture Framework approaches and shows, how the various parts must be orchestrated in order to support the vision of JSB effectively and efficiently. Topics of direct relevance include Web Services via Extensible Modeling & Simulation Framework (XMSF), the Object Management Group (OMG)’s Model Driven Architecture (MDA), XML-based resource repositories, and Web-based X3D visualization. To this end, the report shows how JSB can − Utilize Web Services throughout all components via XMSF methodologies, − Compose diverse system visualizations using Web-based X3D graphics, − Benefit from distributed modeling methods using MDA, and − Best employ resource repositories for broad and consistent composability. Furthermore, the report recommends the establishment of necessary management organizations responsible for the necessary alignment of management processes and procedures within the JSB as well as with neighbored domains. Continuous interoperability cannot be accomplished by technical standards alone. The application of technical standards targets the implementation level of the system of systems, which results in an interoperable solution valid only for the actual 2 implementation. To insure continuity, the influence of updates, upgrades and introduction of components on the system of systems must be captured in the project management procedures of the participating systems. Finally, the report proposes an exemplifying set of proof-of-capability demonstration prototypes and a five-year technical/institutional transformation plan. All key references are online available at http://www.movesinstitute.org/xmsf/xmsf.html (if not explicitly stated otherwise)