Program Management

Program Management Case Study:

Network Centric Warfare for Airborne Navy Assets

The Challenge

Develop a strategy and manage a program to enable Network Centric Warfare for Airborne Navy Assets.

With Network Centric Warfare quickly evolving and becoming a key enabler for tactical military operations around the globe, it has become paramount to equip those airborne platforms at the "pointy end of the spear" with the required tactical capability as soon as possible and at minimum cost. The cost aspect of the equation cannot be minimized, due to the daunting price tag to integrate new hardware and software into existing DoD Fleet Tactical Aircraft. For example, adding a new radio to the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 can result in a cost of approximately $500M just to install and integrate that radio into the airframe fleet-wide, independent of the acquisition cost of the radio itself. Even minor changes to the airframe rarely meet threshold values for economic feasibility. It is more cost efficient to optimize and extend existing aircraft systems.

Responding to these realities, Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center San Diego asked SOLUTE to rapidly transition a new capability for existing U.S. Navy aircraft to send and receive IP-based data from the Global Information Grid (GIG) to the very edge of the tactical network (TEN M) utilizing a new radio frequency (RF) communications path. The time frame to accomplish this objective was six months or less. This was a tall order, but it was also a very exciting and intriguing challenge for SOLUTE, one requiring an imaginative and well executed end-to-end solution.

SOLUTE's Approach

Our task was to quickly analyze the requirements for the end user community (Naval Aviators, Tactical Commanders and Decision Makers in the field), and develop a solution that "fit" within the existing acquisition environment (with close linkage to existing Programs of Record) for minimal overall cost, in six months or less.

In this particular technology space, transitioning commercial "best of breed" solutions generally provides the greatest value, measured in capability per dollar of development cost, when compared to conventional acquisition-based new technology development. SOLUTE's approach put strong emphasis on utilizing existing, commercially developed off-the-shelf technology, and existing Program of Record capability to ensure a rapid transition of technology for the absolute minimum cost to the government and taxpayers.

The engagement entailed:

Analyze and benchmark existing commercial and military Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) RF communication path technologies and develop a Technology Roadmap
Implement a high-level Product Management Strategy to help determine the best RF communication path candidates for integration into the Navy's Airborne Automatic Digital Networking System (aADNS)
Develop a system for evaluating cost verses capability of the various "RF communication pipes" to help prioritize how program assets would be deployed and utilized
Integrate Lab and Flight testing into existing U.S. Government Lab schedules and priorities by aligning the end goals of our program with those of other industry and government partners
Execute the program and deliver a new IP-based RF communication path capability that meets or exceeds goals for cost, schedule, and performance requirements

The Project was conducted in two main Phases. The first phase delivered a cohesive strategy and recommended a course of action for the client, including a Technology Roadmap, Product Management Strategy, and Cost vs. Capability Analysis. The second phase delivered a cutting edge solution for delivering critical IP data from the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) within the GIG direct to the edge of the tactical network (TEN M or MANET - Mobile Ad Hoc Network). The IP data is required to transit through existing Program of Record Networks and protocols on U.S. Navy sea and land-based surface and air assets.This new capability enables critical targeting data to be sent seamlessly without human intervention, significantly shortening the sensor to shooter to assessor chain: Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess, also known as F2T2EA. Time is reduced from each of the six stages in the chain, as well as from the "seams" between stages. Previously, much of the data had to be hand-transcribed and relayed via error-prone and time-inefficient human voice communications. This new capability enables "machine-to-machine" interface from the CAOC data centers directly to the weapons system of the Carrier-based air assets.

Value Delivered

The project delivered a fast-rich analysis of emerging LOS and BLOS technologies and a new cutting edge capability that shortened the F2T2EA chain by an estimated 40% of the time it takes to communicate a key targeting data segment; virtually eliminating human transcription errors, delivering machine-to machine connectivity to critical weapons systems, and enabling "speed of light" transmission data speed that had previously been relayed over multiple links via voice communications. In addition, the project spurned additional dividends in the form of strong partnerships between industry and government, and innovative strategic alliances with other Programs of Record, specifically:

Both U.S. government and industry benefited by sharing development costs and leveraging organic capabilities. Approximately $1.1M in hardware and software procurement costs were eliminated due to an innovative SOLUTE-driven plan to time share government laboratory space and cutting edge communications gear developed by Rockwell Collins and other industry partners.
By closely aligning the goals of our project with related Navy Airborne Networking initiatives, SOLUTE was able to avoid potential "show-stopping" hurdles and significant program delays. The originally-intended test laboratory was backlogged with other pressing commitments and a critical piece of hardware from a related program encountered unavoidable delays. These two issues would have prevented our project from delivering the desired results within the market window- six month time frame.
By aligning with the goals of the Intra-Battlegroup Wide Area Networking (IBGWN) initiative at SPAWAR Systems Center and substituting a surrogate hardware device, we were able to deliver a solution within the allotted six month time frame.
The IBGWN initiative also benefited by an enhanced industry partnership (testing hardware/software assets and technical support) and shared government resources.
Industry partner Rockwell Collins benefited in real-time hands-on experience with cutting edge U.S. Navy Network Centric Warfare Program Leadership. Rockwell Collins also gained more understanding of the future needs and requirements of the end user- from both an operator and a systems approach.

Most importantly, the greatest value delivered by this project was the identification of previously unknown commercial and military technologies (potential RF communications path solutions such as the U.S. Air Force sponsored Information for Global Reach Program -IFGR/ICAN and commercially-developed Enhanced data rate 1553 Data Bus products for example) and industry partnerships (e.g., ViaSat in BLOS technologies) that have spurned promising new initiatives that are currently ongoing.

SOLUTE's Technology Roadmap process is a powerful solution. By prioritizing new technology options into five distinct categories based upon capability gained per dollars expended, we formed the basis for the client's resource and investment allocation decisions. Ultimately, our client's new capabilities will save lives. Experience "The Power of Solutions" with SOLUTE. We have solutions for the real world, TODAY.