April 29, 1997

MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
	CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
	UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
	DIRECTOR, DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING
	ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
	INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
	ASSISTANTS TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
	DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
	DIRECTOR, OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION
	DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES 
	DIRECTORS OF THE DOD FIELD ACTIVITIES

SUBJECT:  Use of the Ada Programming Language


	Last year, I asked the National Academy of Sciences� 
National Research Council Computer Science and Telecommunications 
Board to study the Department of Defense (DoD) software policies.  
After carefully reviewing and considering the Board�s final 
report, I have directed my staff to undertake the necessary 
actions to revise the policy contained in DoD Directive 3405.1, 
�Computer Programming Language Policy,� to eliminate the 
mandatory requirement for use of the Ada programming language in 
favor of an engineering approach to selection of the language to 
be used.  Additionally, DoD 5000.2-R, �Mandatory Procedures for 
Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) and Major Automated 
Information System (MAIS) Acquisition Programs,� will be revised 
consistent with those changes.

	In the interim, pending formal coordination of the necessary 
revisions, programming language selections should be made in the 
context of the system and software engineering factors that 
influence overall life-cycle costs, risks, and potential for 
interoperability.  As appropriate, these selections may be 
reviewed during milestone/system approval processes.  Among the 
factors that should be considered and appropriately documented in 
the decision process are:

  system/software requirements, including performance, 
interoperability, reliability, safety, and security 
requirements;
 
  system/software architecture, including partitioning into 
components;
 
  extent of compliance with/incorporation of other related 
direction (e.g., use of standards such as the Joint 
Technical Architecture, open systems, and commercial-off-
the-shelf software) and the impact thereof;
 
  selection of software development and support 
methodologies and processes;
 
  use of software development and support tools and 
generators;
 
  long-term maintenance implications, including 
evolvability and supportability; and
 
  integration of software issues and decisions with other 
planning considerations to include cost, schedule, 
acquisition strategy and staffing.

	Ada should be one of the languages considered in this 
decision process; however, Ada waiver requests are no longer 
required when another language is selected.

	My point of contact for this action is Ms. Linda Brown, 
who is assigned to my Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Command, Control and Communications, (703) 604-1590, 
e-mail:  Linda.Brown@osd.pentagon.mil, or Mr. Samuel Worthington, 
(703) 604-1584.  


Signed

						Emmett Paige, Jr.

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