Developing a Command and Control Application: Lessons Learned from FLEX
Abstract
This paper documents the lessons learned from the development of a command and control (C2) application, the Force Level EXecution (FLEX) software system. FLEX is the battle management software for monitoring the execution of Joint Air Operations in the Air Force Electronic Systems Center's Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS). FLEX, like other large software applications, experienced many well-known problems in software engineering such as requirements creep and early lack of domain expertise. FLEX also experienced integration pains as it relied on an evolving TBMCS data and service infrastructure for basic operations. This infrastructure supported migration from a traditional "stove-piped" system to a layered architecture. We will discuss these common problems, as well as FLEX-specific problems, and make recommendations to help ongoing and future software developments mitigate some of the same risks. While targeted mainly for the DoD C2 development community, the lessons learned herein should also apply to the large-scale software development in industry. This paper starts with a discussion of the early years of FLEX, moves into the DoD mandated the use of Ada, and works its way to the current modern, lightweight, distributed, web-based and segmented FLEX Architecture.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA457914
Entities
People
- Albert G. Frantz
- David A. Griffith
- David L. Marks
- Howard T. Waller
- Patrick J. O'neill
- Robert M. Flo
- Thomas A. Clark
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory