DOD report urges adoption of open technology

Sharing code and standards could speed development and lower software costs
by Wade-Hahn Chan, 
The Defense Department should adopt an open-technology model for software procurement and distribution, according to a new report prepared for Sue Payton, deputy undersecretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts (AS&C).

That report, the Open Technology Development (OTD) road map, states that collaborative software development would save money and give DOD greater systems development and acquisition flexibility.

“We need to get things out to the warfighter faster,” said John Scott, co-author of the OTD report and an open-source development consultant for AS&C. “Ultimately, you’re fighting wars, your enemies are changing rapidly, so we should be trying to change our model for how we’re buying and developing technology.”