Service-Oriented Architecture for Naval Strike Force Interoperability Readiness Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Topic No.: N06-127 Topic Title: Service-Oriented Architecture for Naval Strike Force Interoperability Readiness Proposal No.: N062-127-0375 Firm: Trident Systems Inc. 10201 Lee Highway Suite 300 Fairfax, Virginia 22030-2222 Contact: Michael Stoddard Phone: (703) 691-7781 Web Site: www.tridsys.com Abstract: The C5I Modernization Process for Strike Force deployment represents a complex integration of data products to plan, assess, schedule and maintain configuration control over the systems and models that comprise the systems and systems-of-systems of today's surface Navy. This process requires significant effort on the part of Program Managers to continuously update ship systems and maintain ship configurations during the modernization process. The Program Managers are operating in an environment in which databases and authoritative data sources need to be integrated in a flexible, loosely coupled way while continuing to provide operational security for data across multiple levels of security. The current monolithic architecture of the Navy Data Environment (NDE) does not lend itself to scale to arbitrarily large sets of data. Significant effort is involved with integrating new data sources, not the least of which is that Program Managers must now maintain data in yet another location. Translators become "stovepiped". That is, they need to be created for each data source brought into the process and the process must be modified to support the new data. A new solution is required that will allow new data to be integrated seamlessly into the established C5I Modernization Process. This solution must take advantage of emerging concepts that establish processes and protocols for communication and action between net-centric applications. These concepts involve the modularization of tasks into a loosely coupled array of services from which individuals, software agents, or other services can access and update service data. This is known as a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). The purpose of this proposal is to provide the Navy with a new architecture for a process in support of the emerging needs of the C5I Modernization Process (C5IMP). This architecture (SOA) must provide for the inclusion of a loosely coupled array of services which may interoperate with each other or be accessed by either software agents or other decision makers involved in the C5IMP. Under this effort Trident Systems will develop a Service Oriented Architecture product that includes support for static state services and Multi-Level Security (MLS). This product will be known hereafter as the SOAMLS Architecture. Benefits: Successful completion of this proof of concept prototype will not only illustrate the feasibility of the tool neutral, multi-architecture, multi security level, collaborative engineering environment approach, but it will also provide the Navy and any others automated cross-architecture sharing and processes with an efficiency previously unavailable. By the completion of the Phase II prototype, the SOAMLS system will be positioned for additional development and adaptation to all DoD programs and to commercial enterprises engaged in producing large complex systems with a requirement to operate across multiple secure domains. Anticipated benefits of this project will be in industry and government sectors where MLS groupware tools are most useful. The technical approach presented in this proposal leverages existing research and development efforts in government, academia and industry. The architecture is extensible and lends itself well to future R&D endeavors. A keystone of the planned development is InterchangeSE, which represents the flagship product of a continuously expanding line of capabilities from Trident Systems aimed at providing innovative collaboration environments. Trident is in the process of developing a larger capability intended to provide further bridges between engineering models and program management elements such as cost, schedule, performance, and risk assessments. Three separate, unique Phase II research efforts, of which this project represents one part, will eventually culminate in a unified commercial application that will provide improved capability for all the DoD organizations that are currently participating in Phase II. These prototypes, along with the SOAMLS, will eventually form the core of a new product that will provide enterprise grade services, analysis, and mapping to systems engineering tasks in all branches of the DoD. By leveraging the efforts from three projects, Trident Systems will benefit the government by producing a prototype with extended capabilities not usually expected in a simple Phase I or Phase II SBIR. This research will form a key part of a larger encompassing structure of applications and technologies designed to provide large-scale complex system engineering and development efforts with the tools to accurately and efficiently design, integrate, develop, and test their systems. Proper up-front design and definition of systems prior to the commencement of development has the potential to reduce development and maintenance costs significantly. Return