Delivering Waveform Capability at the Speed of Relevance

Gone are the days when the same legacy tactical data links can be safely used across multiple generations of fighter aircraft. When facing a peer adversary, reprogrammability is key. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System [MIDS] Program Office (MPO) was an early adopter of the software defined radio technology that enables reprogrammability. However, the introduction of new waveforms to MIDS terminals is still painfully slow. The development and initial fielding of the Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) waveform took nearly twenty years. To meet the challenges posed by a peer adversary, future MIDS capability fielding timelines must be measured in months, not decades. In this SBIR, Caliola proposes to leverage our experience with Development, Security, and Operations (DSO), our experience with the TTNT code base, and our relationships with the MIDS terminal vendors to design, develop, and pilot a DSO pipeline that will enable resilient waveform capability to be delivered at the speed of relevance. In Phase I, we will develop an approach for adopting a software acquisition pathway for the MPO in accordance with DoD Instructions 5000.02 and 5000.87. In the Phase II pilot, we plan to demonstrate how a DSO pipeline for TTNT could have been exercised in the context of the general purpose processor software enhancements that we are currently developing for that waveform. In this manner, we will be able to quantify the time and cost savings afforded by DSO for the MPO.