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Abstract
Current tensions within the global operational environment, and the state of the U.S. military's global posture has generated the need for review of the improved coordination, synchronization and execution capability within the Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination Software (JADOCS) and the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). The joint community is experiencing an increased requirement for improved coordination, synchronization and execution capabilities to successfully enable global requirements. However, current procurement mandates are attempting to incorporate JADOCS capabilities into AFATDS. This is not suitable, feasible or acceptable considering AFATDS does not have the processing capability to account for JADOCS current strategic responsibilities. The following effort described will streamline the service components within the Department of Defense and the procurement process when acquiring Fires coordination, synchronization and execution software.
Today's world of software-based devices and the increasing complexity of the operational environment can create austere conditions to predict system failures. It is not a question of if a failure is possible, but how often it can be detected and whether the mission can be completed. Some leaders within the U.S. Army Fires community believe the current Fires digital infrastructure is redundant and that incorporating JADOCS and its planning, coordinating and processing capability under the digital architecture of AFATDS would be a more feasible, suitable and acceptable approach. This could not be further from the truth.
What seems to have been missed or lost in translation are these systems, high availability. At the most basic level, availability can be defined as a probability that a system is operating successfully when needed. Availability is often expressed mathematically or as a percentage.
Availability (A) is calculated using the formula A = MTBF (MTBF + MDT), where MTBF is mean time between failure and MDT is mean down time. MDT is often assumed to be the same as MTTR, the mean time to repair. MTTF, mean time to failure, is often considered interchangeable with MTBF, although there are subtle differences. The term high availability has been used to encompass all things related to productivity, specifically reliability and maintainability. So let's take a closer look at these terms.
Reliability
Reliability can be defined as the likelihood that a device will perform its intended function during a specific period of...