DECEMBER 2022 Software Defines Tactics: Structuring Military Software Acquisitions for Adaptability and Advantage in a Competitive Era BY JASON WEISS AND DAN PATT© 2022 Hudson Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. ABOUT HUDSON INSTITUTEHudson Institute is a research organization promoting American leadership for a secure, free, and prosperous future. Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, energy, technology, culture, and law. Hudson seeks to guide policymakers and global leaders in government and business through a robust program of publications, conferences, policy briefings, and recommendations. Visit www.hudson.org for more information.Hudson Institute 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Fourth Floor Washington, D.C. 20004 +1.202.974.2400 [email protected] www.hudson.org Cover: The unique design of the new F-35A Lightning II helmet at Hill Air Force Base, Utah July 18, 2017. (US Air Force photo by Michael McCool)DECEMBER 2022 Software Defines Tactics: Structuring Military Software Acquisitions for Adaptability and Advantage in a Competitive Era BY JASON WEISS AND DAN PATT4 | HUDSON INSTITUTEABOUT THE AUTHORS Jason Weiss Jason Weiss brings an exceptional background in software engineering architecture and cryptology dating back to his service in the US Navy as a cryptologist during the first Gulf War. He has lectured internationally on computer science topics, authored multiple books, holds several patents, and is a successful serial entrepreneur. He holds an MA in intelligence and a BS in computer science. Jason is presently the chief software officer at Conquest Cyber, and prior to that he was the first chief software officer for the Department of Defense, responsible for driving software moderniza-tion policy and guidance, and was a co-author of the DoD’s Software Modernization Strategy. Previous positions held include vice president, IT transformation, at BAE Systems, Inc., and senior vice president, cloud platform and applications, at SMARTRAC N.V. Dan Patt Dan Patt is a senior fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology. His experience is at the intersection of technology, business, and national security strategy. His work at Hudson focuses on the role of information and innovation in national security. Dr. Patt supports strategy at the artificial intelligence company STR and supports Thomas H. Lee Partners’ automation and technology investment practice. He has more than 15 years of experience operationalizing emerging technology, including arti-ficial intelligence, networked information systems, robotics, supply chain automation, and enterprise information technology. He holds advisory board roles at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Andrew W. Marshall Foundation. SOFTWARE DEFINES TACTICS: STRUCTURING MILITARY SOFTWARE ACQUISITIONS FOR ADAPTABILITY AND ADVANTAGE IN A COMPETITIVE ERATABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 7 Intr oduction 9 It’s All about Adaptability 15 Like Digital Logistics 24 The Moder n Software Factory 34 Applied Softwar e Acquisition 43 Exer cising ACTS: A Vignette 57 Appendix A: Documentation as Code 64 Appendix B: List of Acr onyms 65 Endnotes 696 | HUDSON INSTITUTESoftware Defines Tactics ACTS: Acquisition Competency Targets for Software Six principles that enable superior speed and adaptability for delivering modern military capability Software Factories Evaluate existing software factories before you build your own Corollary Rationalize staffing ratios between Government civilians and contractors, know that staffing needs will ebb and flow across program life. ACTS 1Continuous Authority to Operate (cATO) Partner with Authorizing Officials (AOs) to realize a Continuous Authority to Operate Corollary Esta