Applicability of DoDAF to the conversion of a crane ship to host a ballistic missile defense test radar and telemetry system

Abstract

Currently, all Missile Defense Agency (MDA) instrumentation radars are land-based at Reagan Test Site (RTS) in the Marshall Islands and the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The dependency on land-based radars produces significant gaps in radar coverage of planned ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) tests. The S.S. Beaver State is a former cargo ship that was converted to a crane ship. The purpose of a crane ship is to unload/load other ships at ports with inadequate facilities. When the Beaver State was converted to a crane ship, three large cranes were installed. The size of the ship and generators make the Beaver State suitable to host the first X-Band Test Radar (XTR-1) and the second Transportable Telemetry System (TTS-2). There are five major efforts in the conversion process: 1) Ship reactivation; 2) Modification of the ship to host the primary sensors, the adjunct systems, and the respective operators; 3) Installation and integration of the primary sensors and adjunct systems; 4) Development, installation, and certification of the communications system; and 5) Coast Guard certification. This thesis will review the history of the modification design and communications system development aspects of this conversion process, review the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DoDAF), assess the applicability of DoDAF to the Beaver State conversion process, and suggest opportunities for improvement of similar MDA test asset development programs.