Acoustic rapid COTS insertion: a case study in spiral development

Abstract

Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion (A-RCI) is a success story in the use of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)/Open Architecture (OA)--beginning with towed-array sonar on 688 Class Submarines and later encompassing all sonar systems on all attack submarines, some surface ship sonar applications and even aviation anti-submarine warfare. The DoD has long considered Open Systems Design a best practice that should be used during system development. However, as is often the case with best practices, the lessons learned have not been trumpeted widely across DoD acquisition organizations; distillation of the reasons for success in A-RCI has not occurred as yet, and the A-RCI techniques used in Open Systems Design are not widely known and applied in other program offices or taught in our institutional schoolhouses. One way for interested parties to learn the practice of Open Systems Design successfully is through case study. The purpose of this A-RCI case study is to create a learning vehicle for the application of MOSA/OA which then could be used for training and education of acquisition practitioners and future acquisition leaders. The study considers such aspects as the PMO cultural environment, management techniques, open systems processes and controls, appropriate open systems metrics, resource impacts, the interface with JCIDS, user and contractor participation, logistics planning, operational testing, and required participant training.--p. i.