Headquarters U. S. Air Force
Integrity - Service - Excellence
Air Force
Expectations for
Software
Col William “Bill” P. Nelson
Dir, Architecture and Interoperability
william.nelson@pentagon.af.mil
(703)-588-6170
Outline
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Software Sustainment Issues
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National Science Foundation (NSF) Findings
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Software Personnel
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Software Intensive Systems Steering Groups
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Key to Success
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Software Sustainment Issues*
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Staffing: Software engineering staff instability or shortages
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Computer Resources and System / Software Engineering
Environment (S/SEE) Capability: Obsolete and/or saturated
computer hardware; adequacy and long-term viability of the support /
test environment, programming language, etc.
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Training: Lack of appropriate and timely training
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Documentation: Inadequate or outdated system/software
documentation
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Guidance: Lack of policy, guidance, and methods for SIWS acquisition
and support
*AF CIO directed study “Weapon System Software Sustainment Study”, Apr 2001
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NSF Findings*
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Software has to many surprises
Immature or poorly integrated software domain
sciences, construction principles and engineering
processes
Critical software components
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Scalability; evolvability; dependability; usability;
performance; and predictability of cost and schedule
Software technology is hard to transition
* Final Report, “NSF Workshop on a Research Program for the 21st Century”, 1998
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AF Picture:
Software Personnel
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Software professionals very important part of the
Air Force -- communications and information
community in particular
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Information War over Kosovo
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American troops rescuing flood victims in Mozambique
and providing aid to reduce human suffering
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Combat
Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs)
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Smart bombs
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B-2
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Types of Programmers*
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Two camps of programmers in the Air Force
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That distinction is disappearing as we move into
the 21st Century
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System programmers-- TBMCS, GCCS, and other
application-oriented software
Specialized software professionals--designed and built the
code embedded in our weapon systems
Our weapons are becoming increasingly networked—“on
the net” until the moment of impact
As network evolves to a weapon system, distinction
between “traditional” and “weapon system” software
professionals blurs
Development methods/sustainment procedures for
both beginning to resemble each other
*Lt Gen John L. Woodward, Jr remarks to Software Technology Conference 1 May 2001
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Software Career Field*
(Communications-computer career field perspective)
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Fiscal year (2000), only 29% of first-term enlisted
programmers reenlisted (AF goal is 55%)
As of May 2001, only 31% of second-term enlisted
programmers who are eligible for reenlistment have
done so (AF goal is 75%)
No longer track officer programmers in
communications-computer career field but
continuation rate of these highly-skilled officers
appears to be below Air Force average
In Air Logistics Centers, missed hiring targets for
civilian programmers in 1999 and 2000
*Lt Gen John L. Woodward, Jr remarks to Software Technology Conference 1 May 2001
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Software Intensive Systems Steering
Group (SISSG)
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DoD SISSG
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Establish strategic direction, oversee the DoD software
intensive systems effort, and prioritize joint activities that have
significant improvement potential
SAF/AQRE current AF rep
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No AF/SC and PDAS-BIM (AF software team ???)
AFMC SISSG
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AFMC software intensive systems focus
Charter under revision
Morph to AF SISSG
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AF-level software intensive systems focus
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Key Factors for Success...
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Corporate Approach
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Senior Leader Oversight Ability
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Enforceable policies (SC & AQ)
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Business process definition
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Software belly-button (AF Software Team)
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Identification of software houses (who is doing
software in the AF)
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QUESTIONS
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