The Effects of Budget Cuts on Army Material Command Post Deployment Software Support Facilities

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA280968 | Open PDF

Abstract:

Increasingly, Department of Defense DoD weapon systems are becoming more software dependent. The future holds a ten-fold increase in the amount of on-board software in military systems. Software will provide more functionality and there will be more of it. The growth in the amount of fielded software has increased the requirements for software support services. It is estimated that more than 70 of the DoD expenditure for software is for what is commonly referred to as post deployment software support PDSS, i.e., software maintenance of fielded system software. This thesis examines the impact of the declining defense budget and personnel reductions on Army software support activities, and the potential effect on operational systems. A secondary question was to review what is involved in PDSS support and what missions the PDSS centers perform. During this research the PDSS centers at CECOM and MICOM were examined. They provide cradle to grave software support. While both PDSS centers have experienced a constant growth in the number of systems they support, the number of people they have on hand has actually decreased. At the same time their budgets have not increased proportionately to their increased workload. Support for some systems has been terminated because of the cut backs. Continued budget cuts could jeopardize their ability to provide support to many systems in the future.

Author(s):
Jones, Mark C.
Author Organization(s):
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
Descriptive Note:
Master's thesis
Pagination:
0116

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Monitor Series:
NPS
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_4.3_Maintain; JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_4.2_Supply; JCA_1_Force Support; JCA_4.2.1_Manage Supplies and Equipment; JCA_1.2_Force Preparation; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_1.2.1_Training; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_4.6_Engineering; JCA_6.1.3_Switching and Routing; JCA_6.1.2_Wireless Transmission; JCA_6.1_Information Transport; JCA_1.2.5_Lessons Learned; JCA_1.2.6_Concepts; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_4.1_Deployment and Distribution; JCA_1.4_Force Support; JCA_1.2.3_Educating; JCA_5.2_Understand
Modernization Areas:
Space
Communities of Interest:
Human Systems
Descriptor(s):
*SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, *ARMY BUDGETS, *COMPUTER PERSONNEL, MAINTENANCE, REQUIREMENTS, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPLOYMENT, IMPACT, LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT, WEAPON SYSTEMS, THESES, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, REDUCTION, MISSIONS, COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, WORKLOAD
Field(s)/Group(s):
Administration and Management, Personnel Management and Labor Relations, Computer Programming and Software
Keyword(s):
PDSS(POST DEPLOYMENT SOFTWARE SUPPORT)
Report Date:
1994 Jun 01