by Cheryl Marino
FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 5, 2022)—The Summer 2022 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on software acquisition, how important it is to do it right, and the various systems that rely on it. The rapid delivery of software capability to the user is vital. “Just as important as the software itself are the funding streams provided by Congress, regulations, contracting and the software acquisition pathway used to develop products,” said AL&T editor-in-chief, Nelson McCouch III. “We are at the perfect inflection point to make needed changes in numerous processes now. It’s important to get software acquisition right.” Read how:
- A software-intensive Army requires a massive reform of our institutional processes in THE IMPERATIVE.
- The Army is re-imagining Future Long Range Assault Aircraft. Don’t miss BALANCING ACT.
- The future of Army modernization is an Agile software system. Read more in SOFTWARE LAUNCHED.
- One small organization ACTs to speed software acquisition. Find out more in ACT NONTRADITIONAL.
- A proposed concept for Army migration to modeling and simulation as a service shows promise in ARMY SIMULATIONS JUST DON’T CUT THE MUSTARD.
- After many decades, precision-guided munitions are migrating to a new, enhanced military GPS signal called M-code in CODE WORD FOR CAPABILITY.
Army AL&T relies on contributions from you, members of the Army Acquisition Workforce and our stakeholders. For more information on how to publish an article in Army AL&T magazine, go to https://asc.army.mil/web/publications/army-alt-submissions/ to see writers guidelines, upcoming deadlines and themes.
Summer 2022 Army AL&T
FROM THE AAE
The Army is improving its software acquisition process to get solutions to Soldiers—fast.
SOFTWARE ACQUISITION
The Army has a tremendous opportunity to reform its institutional processes now, or fall behind, risking its ability to modernize the Army of 2030.
The Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft Project Office is using digital engineering with industry to significantly reduce risk, reduce life-cycle costs and increase the performance of new weapons systems.
The U.S. government now has the rights to all the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System software data and test environments. For the Army, this achieves a faster, more cost-effective way of modernizing its technology to meet current and future threats on the battlefield.
Through partnership with the U.S. Air Force Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Applied Cyber Technologies is able to rapidly develop prototype solutions for the Army’s most pressing cyber challenges.
ARMY SIMULATIONS JUST DON’T CUT THE MUSTARD
Army modernization cannot wait 10 to 15 years. Modeling and simulation as a service shows promise in enabling more composable simulation environments that can be deployed and executed on-demand.
Precision-guided munitions are migrating to a new, enhanced military GPS signal called M-code—enabling warfighters to execute precision-guided munition fire missions in vertical-terrain-challenging and GPS-contested environments.
FEATURE ARTICLES
The ReHeal Glove; a bioengineered glove designed to promote faster healing and less scarring in surgically repaired hands is being tested by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command.
While the Precision Strike Missile has been testing its limits in the sky, the Army has been simultaneously conducting critical, on-the-ground system qualification tests and manufacturing readiness assessments.
Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Protection assisted in establishing a facility at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas, that can produce the Army’s finest “soft wear.”
ARMY COMMENCES FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT
The foreign military sales program begins its first-ever full financial statement audit. Business process standardization work minimizes risk by allowing the enterprise to identify and address findings early in the process, rather than waiting until the end of the audit.
FACES OF THE FORCE: MARK SHAEFFER
Keeping it real.
PROACTIVE TEAMWORK IMPROVES FUNDING PROCESS
An Integrated Product Team collaboratively identified the need to improve standardization of the proposal template, develop a process flowchart and ensure alignment with all guidance to safeguard mission success.
The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense and the Joint Assisted Acquisition team, alongside their counterparts from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Postal Service, worked tirelessly to accomplish the mission of procuring approximately 900 million of a projected one billion COVID-19 tests and vaccines in four months’ time.
The Lower-Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor will be one of the first Army programs to transition from the middle tier of acquisition (directly into a Milestone C Decision). Closing gaps will require a deliberate approach and active leadership.
FACES OF THE FORCE: MATTHEW ADAMS
It’s all about the mission.
COMMENTARY
Transformational technologies that link and connect between platforms, intelligence and missions will play a key role in making resilience possible by shortening the decision loop cycles that shape both the tactical, strategic and acquisition landscapes.
Follow up article to “Carbon Copy” (Spring 2022 issue of AL&T magazine), which introduced readers to Calgon Carbon and the need for an alternative supplier. Turned out there was more to the story.
WORKFORCE
FROM THE DACM: BEYOND THE BASICS
With the Army’s implementation of “Back-to-Basics,” we’re now a more focused workforce, aligning better with the needs of the acquisition enterprise.
FACES OF THE FORCE: NICK MOULTRIE
Locally grown, internationally known.
Telework is here to stay, and there are best practices that leaders can take into account to efficiently lead in a remote environment.
CAREER NAVIGATOR: FEELING THE BURN(OUT)
Work disrupting our downtime, paired with two years of pandemic restrictions, has primed the workforce for burnout. Employees who find themselves experiencing symptoms, can do a few things to help stop burnout in its tracks.
FACES OF THE FORCE: CHRISTINE LAWSON
A little personality can go a long way.
For more ways to read Army AL&T go to https://asc.army.mil/web/army-alt. Stay in touch with USAASC for the latest in AL&T news and information.
THEN AND NOW: BEFORE SOFTWARE, THERE WERE COMPUTERS
The Army’s evolution of computers and software development—from the first antiquated computers and firing table calculations to today’s simplified streamlining of services and pathway to software acquisition.
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