DoD Ada directive

DoD Ada directive

[Dennis Gibbs]

<>

As most of you who read comp.lang.ada know, the DoD has issued
a directive(s) that indicate Ada as the preferred language  of
choice for DoD software.

Can someone tell me the specifics of the directive?  I need to
know the exact date the directive was issued, what the  number
(I  assume some  directive number  was given  to  it)  of  the
directive is, and the exact text of the directive. Can someone
post a copy of the directive or point me to where I can easily
get a copy of the directive?  

Also, can anyone tell  me if any  other organizations  outside
the  DoD and  Military  have  officially  stated  that Ada  is 
required?  If I recall, I think the MoD  (Ministry of Defense)
and NATO  (North Atlantic  Treaty Organization) have  mandated
Ada, but my memory may be failing me....

Thanks,
Dennis Gibbs
TRW Systems Integration Group
...uunet!tfsg!dennis
(703) 802-1961

Re: DoD Ada directive

[Armin Schweizer]

as I know also the european community (region with 500 mio people)
has adopted ADA as a preferred language.

kind regards
armin



       Armin R. Schweizer, CIBA-GEIGY AG, R1045.P.06, WRZ
                  4002 Basel / Switzerland
	          phone: -41-61-697'79'46
		  e-mail: cgch!wasc@relay.EU.net

Re: DoD Ada directive

[Duane M. Butler]

I have a copy of two Department of Defense DIRECTIVES:

    Computer Programming Language Policy
	Number 3405.1	April 2, 1987

    Use of Ada in Weapon Systems
	Number 3405.2	March 30, 1987

These publications may be obtained at the Naval Publications and Forms Center,
5801 Tabor Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19120.

Duane Butler
dmb@network.com

Re: DoD Ada directive

[RICK CARLE]

In article <681@tfsg.UUCP>, dennis@tfsg.UUCP (Dennis Gibbs) writes:
> ... 
> Also, can anyone tell  me if any  other organizations  outside
> the  DoD and  Military  have  officially  stated  that Ada  is 
> required?...

The following directive was downloaded from the Ada IC bulletin board
in December 1989.
	Rick Carle

---------------------------------------------------------------------
File FAA_ADA.HLP: the action notice by the
FAA mandating the use of Ada in acquisition
and major modifications.
(AdaIC form E10-1089; contact: John Walker)

ACTION NOTICE     U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
			    FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION


Subject: ACTION: ACTION NOTICE - National Airspace System (NAS)
         Software Procedures           

From: Associate Administrator for NAS Development, AND-1
	 Associate Administrator for Airway Facilities, AAF-1

To: Distribution
						Approval Date: October 20, 1989

						Expiration Date: December 20, 1989

						Reply to Attn of: Falato: 482-5299

This action notice prescribes procedures for use of software in
all NAS acquisitions and major modifications. 

Effective immediately, the Ada programming language shall be the
single, common, high-order programming language used in the
acquisition of NAS subsystems.  The language shall be in
accordance with the requirements of ANSI/MIL-STD-1815A. 

Use of compilers validated for the Ada language is required.

Software engineering principles that facilitate the use of the
Ada language and that are described in FAA-STD-026 shall be fully
exploited to ensure realization of the Ada language potential to
reduce costs, shorten schedules, and improve the quality of NAS
software.

Ada-based graphics and a compilable Program Design Language (PDL)
shall be used to document the software design during the software
design activity in order to facilitate the portability of the
design.

This action notice applies to all organizations responsible for
planning, developing, testing, acquiring, supporting, and using
computer resources acquired and managed by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) for NAS subsystems.

For the purpose of this action notice, the term computer
resources includes:  programming languages, software, firmware,
computers, data storage and display devices, peripherals,
interface standards, etc.  The term also includes all computer
resources associated with specific program developmental test and
evaluation (DT&E); operational test and evaluation (OT&E); and
post deployment software support, including training devices,
automated test equipment (ATE), test sites, and system
integration and test environments.


The following are excluded from the requirements of this notice:
computer resources used exclusively for office automation (e.g.,
word processing, desktop computers, data entry and retrieval,
ets.); commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) applications software,
unless more than one-third is to be modified by or for the FAA;
invitation for bid (IFB) procurements; and proposed or existing
information processing systems that do not support the Ada
language.

Full compliance with this action notice is mandatory for all NAS
subsystem developments for which a request for proposal (RFP) has
not been issued.

This action notice applies to all new NAS subsystems during all
phases of the life cycle and to major software upgrades of
existing NAS subsystems.  A major upgrade, as it applies to a
specific subsystem, is the redesign or addition of more than one-
third of the software.

If a programming language other than Ada is being used in the
full-scale development of a NAS subsystem on the effective date
of this action notice, that language may continue to be used
through deployment and software maintenance unless the subsystem
is undergoing a major software upgrade.

The Ada language is preferred, but not required, as solely for
hardware test equipment.

The Ada language is preferred, but not required, for Cots
software that will not be modified by, or for, the FAA. 

Requests for waiver from the requirements of this action notice
shall be submitted in writing to the appropriate Associate
Administrator.  Waiver requests shall be jointly approved by AND-
1 and AAF-1.  Waivers may be granted for four categories--undue
restriction on competition, life-cycle cost factors, risk, and
technical inadequacy.  The four categories are further explained
in the following paragraphs.  All waiver requests shall address
each subsystem or configuation item affected and shall compare
the impact of development using Ada with not using Ada in one or
more of the four waiver categories.  Appropriate analyses of the
waiver justification shall be attached to the basic document.  A
format for a waiver request is attached.

Waiver requests based upon lack of competition shall state gow
the use of Ada limits the potential offerers to an insufficient
number that can meet the standardized requirements.  The waiver
shall clearly define the restriction, shall include the results
of thorough surveys of industry sources that support the request,
and shall quantify the competition benefits that would result
from not using Ada.

Waiver requests based upon life-cycle cost factors shall state
how the use of Ada would not be cost effective over the subsystem
life.  The waiver request shall include a detailed comparison of
all development, production, support, and logistics costs between
using Ada and not using Ada.

Waiver requests based upon risk factors shall state how the use
of Ada would introduce inordinate or unacceptable risk in
schedule, costs, procurement strategy, etc., without adequate
life-cycle benefits.  It shall include a description of how the
proposed approach meets the identical system performance
requirements while clearly reducing the risk associated with
using Ada.

Waiver requests based upon technical factors (lack of validated
Ada compiler, performance requirements, size constraints,
technical inadequacy of the standard, etc.) shall clearly
establish how the using Ada fails to meet the technical
requirements of the program.


(signed)
Arnold Aquilan
E Kelly for Edwin S. Harris Jr.