Open Architecture,
Open Acquisition or Both?
Carlo Zaffanella
Vice President
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems
Slide 1
Out of Theory – Into Practice
• Independence-class LCS using Open
Architecture and Open Business Model
• Common Display System (CDS)
Delivered 150 Multi-Level Secure CDS
displays
o Shipping 10-15/week
o
Littoral Combat Ship
• Common Track Manager
o
Developing one Track Manager for both
Aegis and SSDS
Common Display System
• Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV)
Five vessels under contract
o First Total Ship Computing Environment
completed for JHSV 1
o
Slide 2
Common Track Manager
Evolving Our Open Architecture
Increasing Efficiency
Littoral Combat Ship
• Developed Open Computing
Infrastructure (OpenCI)
• Published Open Data Model
• Facilitates third party product
integration
• Enables reduced manning
through capabilities like any
display anywhere
Multi-Mission Combatant • OpenCI reused on
Joint High Speed Vessel • Utilized LCS OpenCI
MMC to integrate
broader set of sensors
and weapons
• Architecture enables
same infrastructure to
meet MMC
requirements
to meet requirements
of C2 system
• Same computing
infrastructure and
tools scaled down to
meet JHSV needs
Transportation
Security Agency
Slide 3
• OpenCI reused to
meet needs of
new customers
• Built from the
beginning with
reuse in mind
USS Independence (LCS2) Performance
• OpenCI Facilitates Reduced Manning - Operating the ship
with a crew of 44
o
Any-Display-Anywhere technology
o
Integration of sea frame control systems and combat system
o
Fully disclosed interface with dozens of third party HW/SW components
• Scored unprecedented 98/100 on Detect-to-Engage test at
sea trials
o
OA system meets real-time performance requirements
• System continued to operate through power failure
Reduced Manning Bridge
Integrated 57 mm Gun
Slide 4
Integrated SeaRAM
Challenges & Opportunities
• Reality of Cost
Perception of open systems costing more
o Savings of open systems are in standardization, reuse,
commonality, competition
o
• Realizing intellectual property still has a place – just not
at the interfaces
Protecting IP is critical for third party developers, particularly small
businesses
o Fosters innovation and competition
o
• Sustainability/Provisioning model required
Challenges must be overcome to achieve the next level of
Open Architecture and Open Business promise
Slide 5
Summary
• Open Architecture has come of age
Demonstrated performance in
challenging environments
o Reuse generating tangible cost benefits
o
• Bringing OA and Open Business to
new customers
• Success of OA requires consistent
customer support
Disclosed interfaces
o Ongoing competitions / Open Business
Model
o Understanding that savings are in reuse
and tech insertion
o
Slide 6