Implementing management metrics: an Army program

This paper describes the initial steps in the development of a brigade-sized wireless internet system for the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR). In co-operation with the ACR and its Military Technical Institute of Electronics (VTUE), the US Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) and the MITRE Corporation are providing advice on systems engineering and system architecture design for the ACR's Ground Forces Tactical Command and Control System (GF TCCS). The objective system will use a high proportion of commercial off-the-shelf networking software, and government off-the-shelf equipment, including military mobile radios and switches. The key constraints, mandated by VTUE, were as follows: the operating system (Windows NT), the net hardware (radios and switching systems), and NATO compatibility. The tasks on which the CECOM/MITRE team is advising are architectural consultation, systems design and engineering development, database design, user interface consultation, and interoperability analysis.

There is a need for an automated architecture engineering tool to support advanced communication networking efforts. Agencies, such as the US Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) and Program Executive Office Command, Control, and Communications Systems (PEO-C3S) have the requirement for a suite of applications to provide detailed diagramming, definition and analysis. Many COTS and GOTS products are available to perform some of the tasks required in analyzing, designing, developing, and implementing a network. Many tools which are graphically oriented for use in designing a network, do not provide the capability of automated analysis. While many other network analysis tools are not graphical or user-friendly, they lack the ability to store relevant user data. Some of the information to populate the network architectures exists in inventory databases but the data is not easily accessible and does not contain all the information required.

Sandia National Laboratories has conducted proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating effective knockdown and neutralization of aerosolized CBW simulants using charged DF-200 decontaminant sprays. DF-200 is an aqueous decontaminant, developed by Sandia National Laboratories, and procured and fielded by the US Military. Of significance is the potential application of this fundamental technology to numerous applications including mitigation and neutralization of releases arising during chemical demilitarization operations. A release mitigation spray safety system will remove airborne contaminants from an accidental release during operations, to protect personnel and limit contamination. Sandia National Laboratories recently (November, 2008) secured funding from the US Army's Program Manager for Non-Stockpile Chemical Materials Agency (PMNSCMA) to investigate use of mitigation spray systems for chemical demilitarization applications. For non-stockpile processes, mitigation spray systems co-located with the current Explosive Destruction System (EDS) will provide security both as an operational protective measure and in the event of an accidental release. Additionally, 'tented' mitigation spray systems for native or foreign remediation and recovery operations will contain accidental releases arising from removal of underground, unstable CBW munitions. A mitigation spray system for highly controlled stockpile operations will provide defense from accidental spills or leaks during routine procedures.

Jadoo contract to develop fuels for ground sensors, wearable power

Since the establishment of the United States Army Antimalarial Drug Development Programme in 1963, there has been a continual evolution of the organisational structure, the philosophy, the approach and the methods used. This evolution reflects the rapid development of science and technology in these years, the gradual development of a multidisciplinary cadre of scientists and the evolution of ethical principles and statutory requirements. The philosophy, approaches and methods which will be discussed in this chapter are those which have been employed by the US Army Programme in the past, those which are presently being employed and those which will be incorporated in the future. As the science and technology of drug development continue to evolve, more rational and more efficient methods must be developed and applied to malaria research, to ensure the optimal use of the limited resources which have traditionally been allocated to this disease.

This work provides an overview of three prototype augmented reality (AR) applications developed for the Microsoft HoloLens with the intention of exploring the strengths and weaknesses of AR for supporting planning and decision making–specifically, within the domain of US Army Mission Command and Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) execution. We present each prototype application accompanied by the target audience from whom we sought feedback, key features of the application, and technical goals we hoped to achieve, demonstrate, and evaluate. Findings with respect to AR strengths and weaknesses, framed around the technical goals of each of the AR applications, are then presented to begin to shed light on limitations and opportunities of the state-of-the-art in AR hardware, and the potential to support Mission Command and BMC2 stakeholders. This material is based upon work supported by the Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) under Contract No. W56KGU-18-C-0002. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CERDEC.

This paper presents an industry-unique approach and improved model-based engineering practices for software reliant aircraft systems aligned with the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE™) open system technical reference architecture. A lifecycle toolset is described which fuses systems and software modeling and simulation (M&S) capabilities, modular open system architectures (MOSA), and device and sensor integration techniques into a single package to enable rapid design, development, verification, certification, and deployment of interoperable, platform portable, embedded mission-critical safety-critical avionic systems. TES' MBSE lifecycle toolset, AWESUM™, supports system architecture and virtual integration (SAVI) of cyber-physical system (CPS) assets, and evaluation of these platform assets through simulated mission rehearsals in a network-centric collaborative virtual environment. The result is improved systems product. The toolset has been demonstrated to several aviation-focused communities including the American Helicopter Society International (AHS), the Association of Old Crows (AOC), the FACE Consortium, and the US Army's Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), with favorable response. TES demonstrated a virtual simulation of realistically modeled and simulated multiple dissimilar aircraft platform systems conducting network centric operations (NCO). With the goal of improving flight-safety and enhancing the situational awareness (SA) of the battle-space, virtual missions were executed showing the inter-operations of cyber-physical system (CPS) assets and capabilities from reusable FACE-aligned applications. The simulated battle-space was composed of device-configured simulated flight models of both manned and unmanned rotorcraft platforms operating within a virtual environment of real-world terrain data. The environment included simulated threats and obstacles used to stimulate platform devices that report detections and produce alerts for own-ship flight mishap avoidance. These detections were then packaged into communications messages (VMF) and shared off-platform via NCO to the common operating picture (COP) to enhance the SA operations of the battle space flight group. After a decade of development and use supporting US Army military common software programs for the PM-AME and AMRDEC, TES is now making its industry-unique approach and model-based airworthy systems/software lifecycle product line available to industry. The MBSE lifecycle toolset product suite, referred to as AWESUM™ for AirWorthy Engineering Systems Unified Modeling, is a comprehensive model-based environment aligned to DO-178C, DO-331, AC 20-148, AR 7062, and FACE™. The AWESUM™ tool suite is currently supporting the US Army's Joint Common Architecture project, a model-based avionics architecture for the Joint Multi-Role family of future vertical lift platforms, and two other FACE-aligned US Army Aviation programs within the military communications and aircraft survivability domains. This is TES-SAVi's first publication and presentation to the IEEE. While we have applied our capabilities to the Military Aviation domain, these capabilities can be effectively applied to Aerospace and other domains.

This report documents the activities of a resource efficiency manager that served the US Army Installation Management Command - Pacific Region during the period November 23, 2009 and August 31, 2010.

A study was performed by the Energy Branch of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, on behalf of the US Army Installation Management Command under the Installation Technology Transition Program. The focus of the study was related to maintainability and operability issues associated with High Performance Sustainable Buildings (HPSBs). This study was conducted primarily based on information gleaned from telephone and web conference discussions with installation Directorate of Public Works personnel including Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Chiefs, energy managers, maintenance supervisors, and maintenance technicians. Experiences with HPSBs varied from installation to installation. For example, some installations had very positive experiences with photovoltaic (PV) arrays while other sites questioned their practicality due to maintainability problems. One site noted that PV technologies are changing so rapidly that procuring spare/repair parts becomes difficult or impossible when vendors discontinue supporting their older technologies or manufacturers go out of business. Based on discussions with the installation O&M personnel, a table of pro and con recommendations for 25 technologies, which are commonly implemented on HPSBs, was prepared and is included in this report.

The U.S. Army Strategic Software Improvement Program (ASSIP) is a multiyear effort to improve the way the Army acquires software-intensive systems. As part of the ASSIP, the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI) examined 12 of the Army's Acquisition Category 1 programs, using a method called Bench-marking for Improvement (BFI). The purpose of conducting the BFI engagements was to define the current state of the acquisition practices across the Army, to discover best practices currently in use by Army program offices, and to identify the software challenges that extend across Army programs. As part of the BFI process, the program management office and SEI interview teams worked together to identify Department of Army best practices and shortcomings in the overall acquisition process, as well as potential solutions and recommendations. In addition, the SEI team provided each program manager with an independent view of program-level activities and made specific recommendations for improvement. A briefing provided to each program manager documented these recommendations. This report documents the results of the interviews conducted during BFI engagements. These results are of interest to Program Executive Office staffs, Program Management Office staffs, and Department of Army staffs that are involved in acquisition.

Structures Program Management Plan for the US Army Base Realignment and Closure Program

This paper discusses the use of social media and cloud computing technologies to facilitate the collaboration and communication in enterprise-wide workflow processes. It presents a use case analysis of the US Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) test program management to demonstrate how cloud computing and social media could streamline pre-existing, highly serialized, enterprise-wide workflow processes. The resulting optimizations to the monitoring, reporting, and control aspects will lead to situational awareness information being available to senior leadership with far fewer intermediary, human-in-the-loop steps. These optimizations, when combined with social networking tools and a common integrated working environment for program artifacts, may result in an increase to productivity across all levels of the organization.

: Provide engineering support to the US Army, Program Manager for the Fielding of Heavy Tactical Vehicles (PM-HTV). PM-HTV is in the process of upgrades to the HEMTT production vehicle so as to increase vehicle reliability and safety, and reduce life cycle costs. o Vehicle upgrades may include the addition of electrical power management, vehicle sensor integration and monitoring, and driver-assist equipment. o In order to illuminate what this means in terms of future engineering changes this effort will conduct engineering, integration, test and evaluation of these systems. o Though these efforts and experience PM HTV will have an engineering foundation, set of performance data, and a technical data package to decide and carry on with implementation. o All deliverables are government owned. One of the main outcomes of this effort will be the delivery of a demonstration HEMTT A2 vehicle equipped with these systems for user evaluation and assessment.

Disease-specific programmes have had a long history in India and their presence has increased over time. This study has two objectives: first, it reports on the interaction between local health systems and key disease-specific programmes in India—National AIDS Control Program (NACP) (HIV/AIDS), Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) (TB) and National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP) (Malaria), and second, it examines which factors create an enabling environment for disease-specific programmes to strengthen health systems. A total of 103 in-depth interviews were conducted in six states in 2009 and 2010. Key informants included managers of disease control programmes and health systems, central and state health ministry and staff from peripheral health facilities. Analytical themes were derived from the World Health Organization (WHO) building block and the Systems Rapid Assessment framework. Disease-specific programmes contribute to strengthening some components of the health system by sharing human and material resources, increasing demand for health services by improving public perceptions of service quality, encouraging civil society involvement in service delivery and sharing diseasespecific information with local health system managers. These synergies were observed more frequently in the RNTCP and NVBDCP compared with the NACP. Disease-specific programmes in India are widely regarded as having made a substantial contribution in disease control. They can have both positive and negative effects on health systems. Certain conditions are necessary for them to have a positive influence on health systems—the programme needs to have an explicit policy to strengthen local health systems, and should also be embedded within the health system administration.