Amy Behrman
NAVAIR Network Centric Warfare Public Affairs

Andy Miller, NAVAIR’s principle interface with NAVSEA on the lengthy D-30 process for ship installations, was presented with NAVAIR’s “You Made a Difference Award” Monday for spearheading efforts to assure prompt delivery of software to the Fleet.

“Andy has consistently represented the Warfighter’s interests in the D-30 process, articulating NAVAIR’s position with regard to mission critical software,” said Admiral Tim Heely, NAVAIR’s assistant commander for Research and Engineering (AIR-4.0). “He has inserted himself on multiple occasions to speed up the configuration approval process and ensure prompt delivery of software to the Fleet, helping many projects avoid costly delays.”

For the past two and a half years, Andy Miller has served as NAVAIR’s single liaison with NAVSEA on the issue of software interoperability.

“Andy has had to walk a tightrope between assuring good interoperability, communication and cooperation with NAVSEA, while protecting sound, viable and vital NAVAIR processes and procedures from disruption,” said Al Kaniss, head, Software Engineering Branch (AIR-4.1.11.3) at NAVAIR Patuxent River.

Miller led a cross competency team in providing the information and analysis necessary to obtain relief from the lengthy (three-month) electronic approval process for software that is platform independent, i.e., does not interface with the ship’s local area network.

According to Kaniss, NAVSEA testing and deployment of software works differently than NAVAIR’s. NAVAIR has test squadrons and tests and deploys by type, model and series; whereas NAVSEA deploys software by battle group and has no analogous test assets. In June, 2000, NAVSEA drafted an instruction that would have required NAVAIR to fundamentally change its mode of software testing and development. Andy “diplomatically dissuaded” NAVSEA from mandating NAVAIR compliance for critical software services and products.

The D-30 process ensures that new items destined for installation aboard ship will effectively interoperate with other ship C4I and combat systems, and that installations are planned and managed in an effective fashion based on ship deployment schedules and plans. The process imposes a pre-installation/deployment risk assessment and in some cases, specific interoperability tests for new systems and software which must interface and interoperate with other ship systems. Completion of the risk assessment and any imposed testing is required prior to D-30 certification.

Unfortunately, the time frame associated with the existing certification process is out of sync with some of the critical software services and products NAVAIR currently provides to the Warfighter. According to Kaniss, one example involves updates to target threat files for the EA-6B electronic warfare (EW) system. These user data files define the characteristics of EW threats. The file data is used internally by the EA-6B system to identify targets and generate effective jamming signals. NAVAIR typically responds to warfighter requests for file updates within four working hours in order to permit the aircraft to counter new missiles, radars and other EW threats found within the operating area. The EA-6B was designed to allow changing of these data on a mission-to-mission basis and has been operating in that fashion successfully since the early 1980’s.

Additionally, some software is totally isolated from other ships systems, and updates are fully testable and certifiable as production ready and releasable via the standard DOD milestone review process, without D-30 imposed testing. An example would be software internal to an aircraft’s radar altimeter which computes altitude from the time difference between sent and received RF signals. Software that runs the digital fuel control of an aircraft engine also falls within this category.

To facilitate resolving the D-30 question relative to particular items, Miller and his team plan to group NAVAIR software into four unique categories of varying D-30 appropriateness. They will then identify the controls required for each category and, where appropriate, pursue alternatives to current D-30 procedures for software that is time sensitive and less “connected” with other ship systems.

“Andy has exhibited fearless leadership,” said John Robusto, director, NAVAIR Network Centric Warfare (AIR-4.0X). “He continues to represent the best interests of the Warfighter on complex and often controversial issues. He openly shares his knowledge, insight and analysis with others to effect the best decisions for naval aviation,” continued Robusto. “Andy has made a tangible and significant difference for the Fleet, as well as the people and projects of NAVAIR.”

Photo caption:
Andy Miller, NAVAIR’s principle interface for the D-30 process, was recently presented with the “NAVAIR You Made a Difference” award for spearheading efforts to assure prompt delivery of software to the Fleet.