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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) is structured to modernize the total high performance computational capability for DoD science and technology and developmental test and evaluation communities, as well as maintain state-of-the-art capability through upgraded technological advances. The DoD HPCMP is a coordinated initiative to develop and sustain complete high performance computing environments. The HPCMP consists of three initiatives: (1) HPC Centers; (2) the Defense Research and Engineering Network; and (3) the Common HPC Software Support Initiative.

The HPCMP is consolidating the Department's primary HPC resources at shared resource centers through the use of the Defense Research and Engineering Network, a nationwide high-speed network service from a major commercial telecommunications carrier. The shared resource centers are equipped with state-of-the-art HPC commercially available systems and supporting resources. The Common HPC Software Support Initiative focuses on developing scientific code applications for Defense-specific and dual-use applications using new scalable computer technology.

The HPCMP contributes to Joint Vision 2010 in dominant maneuver, precision engagement, and full-dimensional protection, by directly supporting the research, development, test, and evaluation of superior weapons systems, communications systems, and other warfighting systems.

A Mission Needs Statement was approved in February 1994 and subsequently revalidated by DDR&E on July 28, 1995. The HPCMP was initially established to modernize the HPC capabilities of DoD laboratories and research and development centers under the cognizance of the DDR&E. Subsequently, the National Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1995 expanded the scope of the program to include "science and technology sites under the cognizance of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering and DoD T&E facilities under the Director of Test and Evaluation, OUSD(A&T)."

The DoD HPC Modernization Plan, dated March 31, 1992, was developed and submitted to Congress as directed in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993. This plan provided the rationale, process, timetable, and funding requirements for HPC modernization in the DoD S&T programs. The modernization plan was updated and resubmitted to Congress in June 1994, again in March 1997 and in March 1998.

HPCMP received the Major Automated Information Systems Review Council (MAISRC) Milestone 0 approval in April 1994; Milestone I approval in February 1995; and Milestone II approval in December 1995. After Milestone II approval, the program: (1) began funding and managing the Common HPC Software Support Initiative (CHSSI) software projects; (2) awarded a commercial services contract for the Defense Research and Engineering Network in July 1996; and (3) completed contract awards for the centralized acquisition of the program's four Major Shared Resource Centers by August 1996. The HPCMP employed a MAISRC Integrated Product Team approach in early 1996 and has since received approval to implement the FY97 and FY98 modernization plans.

DOT&E approved a TEMP for the Major Shared Resource Centers and the Defense Research and Engineering Network in February 1996, and a Capstone TEMP for Common HPC Software Support Initiative projects in September 1997. TEMP addenda for individual distributed centers and CHSSI projects are developed for each center/project. Selected addenda are submitted to DOT&E for approval. During FY98, the Joint Interoperability Test Command conducted operational testing on representative sites for the Major Shared Resource Centers (at the USAF Aeronautical Systems Center and the Naval Oceanographic Office), the Distributed Centers (Maui High Performance Computing Center, Army High Performance Computing Research Center, and the Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center), and the Common HPC Software Support Initiative (an Environmental Quality Modeling project at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Waterways Experiment Station and a Computational Fluid Dynamics project at the Naval Research Laboratory). The final report for these tests has not been completed, but no major difficulties have been reported during any of the tests.