MODAF Concept of Use

Architectures should not be generated without a clear purpose in mind. Their role is to provide an abstraction of the real world that can then be used to provide a variety of analyses – addressing the questions or issues that the
architecture’s sponsor has in mind, as shown in Figure 1. Although many of the required analyses will be performed in specialist tools, the models that they utilise will be informed by the MODAF architectures and the analysis results may be used to refine that architecture, for instance, by adding performance attributes to system nodes.
Some of the key types of analyses that can be supported by an architectural approach include:

· Static Analyses – which could include capability audit, interoperability analysis or functional analysis. These analyses are often “paper-based” using simple analysis tools such as database queries and comparisons
· Dynamic Analyses – sometimes referred to as executable models these analyses typically examine the temporal, spatial, or other performance aspects of a system through dynamic simulations. For example, these analyses might be used to assess the latency of time sensitive targeting systems or conduct traffic analyses on deployed tactical networks under a
variety of loading scenarios
· Experimentation – the use of capabilities such as NITEworks and various battle labs to provide the ability to conduct human-in-the-loop simulations of operational activities. Differing degrees of live versus simulated systems can be deployed during these experiments and there is a high degree of control over the experiment variables. These can be used
for a variety of purposes across the acquisition cycle from analysing intervention options to validating new capability prior to its fielding
· Trials – medium to large scale exercises involving fully functional systems and large numbers of personnel, usually conducted in as realistic an operational environment as possible, such as BATUS. Such trials ar inevitably expensive and are usually only utilised for formal system acceptance or assessment of operational readiness