AIA takes ‘byte’ out of Y2K bug

by Ed Quini
HQ AIA Y2K Program Manager
Kelly Air Force Base, Texas

The Year 2000 issue is a large, complex and insidious threat to the Department of Defense, the Air Force, and Air Intelligence Agency.

The Y2K problem is the consequence of a long-standing practice of using two digits (99) instead of four (1999) to represent the year in computer hardware, software and firmware.

Fixing the Y2K problem is the Air Force’s top software sustainment issue. The Air Force management strategy for Y2K efforts is centralized policy and oversight with decentralized execution of a five-phased management approach:

• Awareness
• Assessment
• Renovation
• Validation
• Implementation

The Air Force plan is to provide Y2K-resolution guidance for implementation by activities and organizations at all levels.

The Air Force is responsible for ensuring all systems needed to execute and support warfighter missions are tested, certified and properly exercised before the ultimate test occurs on the first day of January 2000.

The systems involved are grouped into three classifications:

• Automated information systems
• Weapon systems
• Infrastructure equipment

AIS and weapon systems are divided into the following mission criticality categories:

• Category I - Mission Critical
• Category II - Mission Essential
• Category III - Mission Impaired
• Category IV - Non-Mission Essential

As for the Air Force Intelligence Community, AF/XOI, Directorate of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, has outlined the strategy to manage risks associated with the Y2K transition for systems and information technology that support critical Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The primary goal is to implement a risk management strategy that ensures the Air Force intelligence community can execute critical missions in support of warfighters and national-level customers, even if some critical Air Force ISR systems or information technology fail during the Y2K transition.

The AIA Y2K Program Management Office (PMO) at Kelly is addressing the Y2K issue with AF/XOI. Status is reported to AF/XOI via the Intelligence Compliance Monitoring System. AIA developed the ICMS to track the Y2K-compliance status of all Air Force ISR AIS and infrastructure equipment.

At this time, the Air Force is focusing near-term Y2K efforts on integration testing and contingency planning. These activities are required to evaluate and assess the Y2K-readiness of Air Force critical missions and systems.

To support these requirements, the AIA Y2K PMO has implemented the following initiatives:

• Conduct staff assistance visits
• Develop thread models
• Host a workshop

SAVs are currently being conducted with the wing, groups and centers. The purpose of the SAV is to assess the organization’s Y2K-readiness, to include inspecting the status of all AIS and their associated Y2K-related documentation. The SAV team also inspects the unit’s contingency plans, infrastructure compliance and host/tenant support agreement activities. The SAV team can identify deficiencies in the organization’s Y2K program, provide guidance and determine where improvements are needed to get it back on track.

Another initiative is the development of "thread models" of AIA’s operational and system architectures. The operational architecture model identifies each unit’s critical missions and the associated critical tasks while the system architecture model identifies the critical systems and their external/internal interfaces. The thread models will be utilized as an Independent Verification and Validation tool in support of the Air Force-mandated operational evaluations and assessments.

Lastly, the AIA Y2K PMO is hosting an Enterprise Workshop on May 4-5, at Kelly. The purpose of the workshop is to assess the Y2K-readiness of AIA subordinate and administratively supported units. The workshop is also a forum to disseminate the latest information and guidance from Department of Defense, the Air Force Y2K PMO at Scott AFB, Ill., and AF/XOI. The workshop will be attended by the wing, group and center Y2K representatives.

These initiatives are high-payoff activities required to properly assess the overall status of AIA in addressing the Y2K issue. They supplement the local unit Y2K activities. However, these efforts are for "naught" without the attention and support of senior management. Commanders are the key to the success of their organizations’ Y2K program.

The Y2K issue will continue to be a priority for Department of Defense, the Air Force and AIA as we approach the 21st century and beyond. It’s imperative that we all exercise "due diligence" at all levels to become Y2K-compliant in order to execute critical missions in support of the warfighter and national-level customers.

The AIA Y2K PMO is up to the challenge, as reflected by their unofficial motto, "We take the BYTE out of the Y2K bug!"