Technology refreshment strategy and plan for application in military systems a "How-to systems development process" and linkage with CAIV

Most customers demand the maximum performance for the minimum acquisition cost, thus the old adage, "I want the most bang for my buck." The US Military has historically paid high and even exorbitant prices in order to have a specific set of requirements met. Certainly not the "most" bang for the buck. In fact, frequently a system was obsolete the day it was fielded! However, the repercussions from Acquisition Reform have forced a new way of thinking such as performance-based requirements, open systems architectures, leveraging commercial-based products (such as fielding unmodified commercial laptop computers into battle-ready situations) and even migrating away from ADA requirements for software development. With the use of open standards, commercial technologies and commercial products, how is the Operation and Support Phase of these new age systems affected? What can be done with the existing Legacy and Non-developmental Item (NDI) systems? COTS seems hard to manage and impossible to control, how can the system stay operationally effective and viable? This paper addresses a tangible "How-to" process for creating a Technology Refreshment Strategy (applicable to Legacy, NDI and COTS-based systems), then the development of a evolutionary Technology Refreshment Plan that sets a vision for the Operation and Support of a fielded system solution. This Technology Refreshment Plan then feeds a Cost As an Independent Variable (CAIV) process that will be able to yield an accurate and manageable Total Ownership Cost (TOC) calculation. The focus today is on TOC, not just acquisition (or even production) cost. Here is where the feedback to the Systems Design and Development Process occurs. Once this model is set and tailored for a given set of customer requirements and reality, then the model can support trade study analyses in a consistent manner, and truly drive affordability, thus maximizing the biggest 'performance bang' for the 'development buck'.