The Innovative Application of Commercial Automated Testing Tools for Rapid Insertion or Adapation of Combat System Capabilities

The Navy’s systems today are largely software based, growing in complexity, and becoming more and more dependent on the successful re-use of software developed from other programs. Despite the advances in development practices and tools, the goals of accelerating the rate at which systems can be delivered and reducing their costs cannot be met by simply writing software faster without comparable improvement in the practices and tools for testing the software. A very significant cost, schedule, and technical advantage over conventional methods is possible using predominately existing or emerging testing methodologies and COTS tools to provide rapid, affordable and comprehensive automatic testing for combat system developments or modifications. These automated testing processes and tools will enable swift insertion of innovative and advanced combat system technologies into the complex open-architecture framework of naval tactical and surveillance operations.