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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

AFLCMC Engineering

An Exciting Time For DoD Software Practitioners

17 December 2018

Rich Kutter, SLTechnical Advisor, Embedded Computer Systems & Software

AFLCMC/EN-EZ937-343-1386

richard.kutter@us.af.mil

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

• About AFMC• Software Excitement• Agile – Responsive to changing requirements• What is Software Maintenance & Sustainment?• Successes• Challenges• Opportunities

Overview

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

AFMC Mission and Vision

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Vision:Delivering the world’s greatest Air Force…the

most trusted and agile provider of innovative and cost-effective war-winning capabilities

Mission:Deliver and Support AgileWar-Winning Capabilities

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Continue to Strengthen AFMC’s Role in the Nuclear Enterprise

Perform World-Class Test and Evaluation

Acquire and SupportWar-Winning Capabilities

“Cradle-to-Grave”

Advance Today’s & Tomorrow’s Combat Capabilities through

Leading-Edge Technology

Sustain Air Force Capabilities through World-Class Depot

Maintenance & Supply

Air Force Materiel Command Center Mission Areas

Support AF-wide Installation and Expeditionary Combat

Support Activities 4

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

2018: A Year of Software Buzz

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2018 DSB Study

Defense Innovation Board

FY16 NDAA Sec 804

PEO Digital

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

Adopting Agile to Deliver Digital Capabilities

• Agile is a Mindset – not a prescriptive process!– Take small steps forward – starting NOW – DO it already!– Shared Responsibility – relentlessly kill “throw it over the wall”– Eliminate Waste – apply Lean principles!

• Myths: Agile is…– Fast – neither the words “speed” nor “fast” appear in the manifesto– Less work – it’s harder – breaking established ways of doing

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Agile is incrementally doing the right things right with the right people – right now!

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

“Software Maintenance”

• Software – moved from supporting to being the capability• Expertise in short supply – to create, use, and manage• Not so much maintenance per se, but..

– Addressing deficiencies – in capability & security, etc.– Continuous engineering and development – feature integration– Software / IT “entropy” is real – must address/manage/expect

• Updates/new capabilities drive– Recertification – ATO, Airworthiness, Other tech/ops reviews– Potential refactoring – open architectures can help indemnify ∆

• Address discoveries of cyber vulnerabilities & threat capabilities

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

Success Stories

• Agile approaches being early adoption – some examples:– Kessel Run (AOC Pathfinder)– PRC2

• Currently on a 2 week release cadence• Fully automated test – both UI and functional

• Sustainment in early acquisition – MC-130J Example– SIL established in sustainment organization– Organic expertise in system integration & function– Early engagement proved out designs & detected flaws– Improved cyber test, Tech Order dev, and critical testing

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

Challenges

• Modern Software Development on DoD Infrastructure– Access to tools, libraries, and source is slow to be approved– Performance issues accessing cloud on NIPRNET– Many programs are moving off-base; not a panacea; some cannot

• Sustaining legacy embedded weapon systems– Older, unsupported tools, compilers, OSes, etc.– Moving to modern tools can be expensive – cost & training– Convincing programs to invest in modern software for legacy

• Automated test, virtual SILs, updated approaches & tools– Some IT software best practices don’t translate well to embedded

• Frequent release cadences sometimes too fast for Weapon System operators

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AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

Opportunities

• Large organic software expertise in SMXGs• Excited, motivated experts• Integration of software sustainment into program

planning reaps benefits• Partnerships with build contractors are paying off

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Distribution A: Approved for Public Release. Distribution Unlimited. Case Number 88ABW-2018-6148

AFLCMC… Providing the Warfighter’s Edge

Take Aways

• Software Sustainment IS Continuous Engineering & Development• Focusing on speed without discipline is not the path

– Team with perceived “sources of slow” to improve throughput– Make your success a “shared problem” – build partnerships– Fast is slow; smooth is fast – focus on obtaining flow!

• Pair with the expertise in the Software Maintenance Community• Make smart investments to bring modern approaches to legacy

Questions?