BAE to craft software tools for DARPA

BAE Systems will help develop software designed to improve the effectiveness and reduce the cost of developing complex software systems for military needs under a new $3.4 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The Rockville, Md.-based company will create advanced software development tools and processes to meet changing military needs. The work will adapt large-scale software systems to address emerging threats.

DARPA's Producible Adaptive Model-based Software program will develop software that enables systems to learn from their performance relative to changing conditions and adjust accordingly. The contract includes a $3.4 million option for a second phase.

"Department of Defense systems are increasingly software-intensive, so it's important for future net-centric systems to adapt to changing warfighter requirements," said Joseph McCarthy, vice president of communication and tactical networks for BAE Systems. "PAMS will significantly improve the effectiveness and reduce the cost of developing complex software systems compared to traditional approaches."

The PAMS tools and processes will be tested using flight-control and vehicle-management software and on software-defined radios, such as the Joint Tactical Radio System, to show their applicability across various software domains.
The BAE Systems-led PAMS team also includes Vanderbilt University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

BAE ranks No. 15 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.