DoD and Commercial Advanced Waveform Developments and Programs with Multiple Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 5

Abstract : This report presents the results of two RAND studies: One is a comparative assessment of the capabilities and development approaches used for the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) wideband networking waveform (WNW) (a key component of a planned tactical military communications system) and the long-term evolution (LTE) waveform (a key component of advanced commercial mobile communications networks). The second study analyzes acquisition programs with multiple Nunn-McCurdy breaches, that is, military acquisition programs that have exceeded certain cost thresholds. The first study compares differences in system designs, technical requirements, intellectual property protection schemes, and cost in the development of WNW, one of the key software products produced by the JTRS network enterprise domain1 (NED) program with similar elements of the commercial cell phone fourth-generation (4G) LTE waveform. The study first examined how the program managed system design, technical risks, and WNW development costs and how technical risks and challenging requirements contributed to schedule and cost increases. These JTRS NED program management factors were then compared to the risk factors, program management approaches, schedule changes, and development costs for the LTE waveform, the most advanced wireless waveform ever developed by commercial industry.