Service secretaries sign joint memo on modular open systems standards

The Air Force, Army and Navy secretaries recently signed a new memorandum that would require them to adopt common standards for cross-domain information-sharing on future systems.

The Air Force announced the joint memo in a press release today, noting that the document directs each of the services' acquisition executives to develop and release guidance for information-sharing and commit to identifying future gaps and developing any new standards required in the future.

"Victory in future conflict will in part be determined by our ability to rapidly share information across domains and platforms," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in the release. "Sharing information from machine to machine requires common standards."

The services have already developed guidelines for modular open systems architecture on new weapon systems, and the release notes that incorporating these standards has driven significant reductions to schedule and cost.

"When these practices are followed, defense contractors can build systems that are interoperable across services and industry," the release states.

The services refused to provide the full text of the joint memo.