The impact of software support on system total ownership cost

Abstract

The software component of our increasingly high-technology weapons systems provides the capabilities and lethality desired for our forces, but is potentially devastating to our ability to cost-effectively maintain their advantages. The complexity of individual software-intensive systems is significantly compounded when they are combined in a ?system of systems? architecture. The initial software architecture, driven by how requirements are translated into performance specifications, is critical in determining how much maintenance will be required and how much effort will be required in the necessary maintenance actions.