Professional Documents
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Armys Common
Avionics Architecture System
(CAAS) Product Line: A Case
Study
Paul Clements
J ohn Bergey
September 2005
TECHNICAL REPORT
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019
ESC-TR-2005-019
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
The U.S. Armys Common
Avionics Architecture System
(CAAS) Product Line: A Case
Study
Paul Clements
J ohn Bergey
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019
ESC-TR-2005-019
September 2005
Product Line Practice Initiative
Unlimited distribution subject to the copyright.
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This work is also sponsored by the U. S. Army.
Copyright 2006 Carnegie Mellon University.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ vii
Abstract................................................................................................................. ix
1 Introduction.................................................................................................... 1
2 History ............................................................................................................ 3
3 About the Application.................................................................................... 7
4 Army Motivations for the Product Line Approach.................................... 13
5 Product Line Approach ............................................................................... 17
6 The CAAS Architecture ............................................................................... 19
6.1 The CAAS System Architecture............................................................20
6.2 Software Architecture............................................................................22
6.2.1 LynxOS-178 Kernel...................................................................23
6.2.2 Applications...............................................................................23
6.2.3 Partition Model..........................................................................24
6.2.4 Coordination Mechanisms ........................................................25
6.2.5 Reliability...................................................................................26
6.2.6 Architectural Approaches..........................................................27
7 Results and Lessons Learned .................................................................... 29
7.1 Expanding the Product Line Beyond SOA............................................29
7.2 Results..................................................................................................30
7.3 Lessons Learned: Rockwell Collins......................................................32
7.4 Lessons Learned: TAPO.......................................................................33
7.5 Looking to the Future............................................................................34
Appendix A The Product Line Culture at Rockwell Collins....................... 37
Appendix B Acronym List ............................................................................. 43
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019 i
References........................................................................................................... 47
ii CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019
List of Figures
Figure 1: U.S. Army Blackhawk Helicopter (U.S. Army Photo)................................ 7
Figure 2: U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook Helicopter (U.S. Army Photo) ........................ 8
Figure 3: U.S. Army AH-6 Little Bird Helicopter (U.S. Army Photo)......................... 9
Figure 4: System Context...................................................................................... 10
Figure 5: From Assets to Products ........................................................................ 17
Figure 6: The CAAS System Architecture (Top Level)........................................... 21
Figure 7: CAAS Software Layering........................................................................ 22
Figure 8: Computer Software Configuration Item (CSCI) Model, Layered View.... 24
Figure 9: Application Shell Components ............................................................... 25
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019 iii
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List of Tables
Table 1: Supported Platform Variants in SOA Fleet of Helicopters ........................ 3
Table 2: Potential Number of Aircraft in TAPOs Product Line ............................. 30
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019 v
vi CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019
Acknowledgements
Case studies are always difficult to produce because they require inside information from
people who are usually too busy, understandably, to spend time sharing with outsiders. Every
successful case study is the result of extraordinary generosity on the part of the people and
organizations involved. This one is no exception. This report would not have been possible
without the time, energy, enthusiasm, and patience of the U.S. Armys Technical Applications
Program Office (TAPO) and the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) project
personnel at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In particular, we thank Steve
Overbeck, Scott White, and J ohn Terry of Rockwell Collins and the TAPO staff.
CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019 vii
viii CMU/SEI-2005-TR-019
Abstract
This report is one in a series of Carnegie Mellon