Truly Modular and Open System Design is Difficult

MOSA;modularity;open systems;Littoral Combat Ship;blade servers;Carrier Grade Linux

In the United States, major defense acquisition programs must implement a modular open systems approach (MOSA). Some have focused on MOSA as a checklist compliance activity. However, designing economically and operationally competitive modular platforms is difficult. This paper will review three concrete examples of such MOSA efforts. This paper will discuss common challenges, review the results of the three cases, and offer some simple recommendations for such programs.