Open for the Future
Programs such as the Army’s Future Combat Systems and organizations such as the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency are using open technologies using non-proprietary software.
A roadmap for the adoption of open technologies was released last year by the deputy under secretary of defense for advanced systems and concepts. That paper proposed adopting open source infrastructure and technologies and applying open source to collaborative technologies being implemented by DoD.
One of the advocates of the open source approach is Brigadier General Nickolas Justice, Army program executive officer for command, control and communications tactical.
Justice acknowledges that many in the military acquisition community remain wary of open source. "They are concerned about the security of open source products as well as the level of maintenance they require," he said.
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