Open Architecture Management

Mission — Standards Management source

The Open Architecture Management (OAM) program element (PE) funds Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) maturation and its adoption by weapon systems across the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and the Department of Defense (DoD). Weapons systems that implement MOSA standards streamline integration of capabilities, reduce development timeline, lower life-cycle cost, reduce vendor-lock, and ensure interoperability with emerging capabilities. This enables weapon systems to field capabilities more rapidly and affordably in response to a dynamic threat environment. This budget funds the progression of Open Mission Systems (OMS), the Universal Command and Control Interface (UCI), and other emerging MOSA standards such as the Sensors Open System Architecture (SOSA). OMS is a non-proprietary, open architecture standard to create reusable and replaceable components that promote speed of integration for adopting weapons systems. The UCI is the DAF's messaging standard for mission-level Command and Control (C2), providing common message definitions to enable C2 coordination across sensors, vehicles, data products, and software. Funding supports development of new mission-critical OMS/UCI features requested by the 30+ operational adopting platforms across the DAF, DoD and international partners. Funding also supports experimentation, modeling, integration events, and studies to establish a common DAF MOSA approach. This includes leveraging commercial industry standards and government-driven standards. Additionally, funding supports alignment and interoperability across Government Reference Architectures (GRAs) and standards. These efforts use Agile methodologies and Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps) software practices to deliver products securely to adopting platforms and enable continuous feedback to improve the standards. Further, funding provides targeted technical exploration and risk reduction with adopting platforms to facilitate their MOSA adoption while identifying any changes required within the DAF's MOSA standards. In October 2024, the Open Architecture Management Office (OAMO) that managed this funding transitioned to the Architecture and Systems Engineering (ASE) group, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Wright Patterson AFB. In addition to this PE, the ASE group will continue execution of these related activities under the following PEs: 0305206F / Airborne Reconnaissance Systems (672003 / Sensor Open Systems Architecture) 0604602F / Armament/Ordnance Development (655361 / Stores/Aircraft Interface) This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, or 0605898F. This program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)