Going into BAT for Technology
On Monday 3 March the Chief of Air Force AVM Graham Lintott signed a five year contract with Beca Applied Technologies (BAT), the international engineering consultancy.
CAF, AVM Graham Lintott shakes on the deal with General Manager, Beca Applied Technology, Dr Thomas Hyde. OH-08-0127-01-tn.jpg.
The contract will provide the RNZAF with a wide range of software engineering services to support the Data Management System (DMS) being delivered as part of the P-3K2 upgrade project. These software services will enable the RNZAF to maintain its software across the fleet of six P-3K2 Orion aircraft well into the future.
BAT was selected by L3 Com (Texas, USA) as the sub-contractor to conduct the software development and engineering for the P-3K2 Data Management System (DMS). The DMS is critical to the future needs of the RNZAF since it forms the backbone of the P-3K2 mission systems. The DMS controls all the major functions of the aircrafts mission systems including everything from sensor control, data collection and data analysis through to the way an operator interfaces and displays information. The DMS will be core to P-3K2 operations and our ability to be able to update and refine functions are only possible through the establishment of this contract.
BAT personnel have been deployed in Texas for some years now as part of the L3 Com contract/project team. During this time BAT have developed a wealth of experience with L3 Com in cutting the code for the DMS and other associated software applications being delivered with the P-3K2. It was through this experience that BAT was selected as the sole source provider for software support to the P-3K2 once in service.
Contract negotiations began in 2007 between the RNZAF and BAT for a lifecycle software support contract. The signing by CAF culminates many hours of work and represents a significant step forward for the RNZAF in undertaking software engineering services.
The contract and work with BAT offers a number of benefits including:
- Opportunity to develop a positive partnership between BAT and the RNZAF
- Opportunity to promote RNZAF software engineering and technology in conjunction with BAT
- Ability to maintain P-3K2 software throughout the life of the aircraft
- Exposure to leading edge software engineering practices and procedures
- Training opportunities
- Efficiency through application of technology
- Benefits to New Zealand through high technology experience BAT gains and scope for international business.
Specifically the contract provides the RNZAF with a wide range of software engineering services to support the P-3K2. These services include, but are not limited to:
- Training (for operators, maintenance and engineering personnel)
- Opportunity to embed RNZAF staff within the BAT software engineering team to gain experience and exposure to software engineering
- Software modifications
- Fault diagnosis
- Modification impact assessment
- Testing and verification
- Configuration management
- Software trouble shooting
- Maintenance of software tools
- Assisting IMSS in obsolescence, activity, risk management and resource planning.
The contract will commence one month prior to delivery of the P-3K2 with BAT staff working as an integral part of the Software and Simulation Flight of the IMSS. The IMSS Management committee, comprising both RNZAF personnel and BAT staff, will then manage workload, hours and all issues associated with the software support of the P-3K2.
BAT and IMSS have already been working together since mid 2007, to develop the contract as well as conducting preparation services associated with the IMSS’s role in software engineering. Over this time a strong working relationship has been established, which is reinforced in the contract relationship which has a focus on being mutually rewarding, strong, and long-term, based on (two-way) trust, commitment and cooperation.
BAT and the IMSS have already achieved success with a nomination for a Beca Innovation award for process development with the results of that nomination due in mid March 08. The IMSS and BAT relationship continues to strengthen with work now well underway to acquire equipment that will enable BAT and IMSS to test processes and procedures for software engineering prior to P-3K2 delivery.
The contract signing cements that relationship and enables the RNZAF and BAT to progress key areas to ensure they are ready to Step Up to the task in supporting the P-3K2. Based on the work to date, the relationship and outcomes show significant promise for the future.