This paper presents an overview of a system design developed for the US Navy Battle Force Tactical Training (BFTT) program by a joint team of PHD NSWC, Eldyne, Inc. and RAC, Inc., of San Diego CA, Focus Learning Corporation of Pismo Beach, CA, and Wunderlich-Malec Engineering of Minnetonka, MN. This design provides a means to integrate all Interactive Courseware (ICW), Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETM), and other required logistical support information into an electronic delivery system.

The system described utilizes Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and software components to build the database and communications capabilities for the system, and includes the following capabilities:

1. An integrated methodology for defining and streamlining the development of logistical support information, principally IETM's and ICW.

2. Overall configuration management control and reliability / obsolescence of program components.

3. A version control method for authoring of IETM and ICW content, and for distribution of the IETM and ICW content runtime modules.

4. A repository system to make both IETM and ICW source level content objects and runtime content objects available to multiple locations.

5. A mechanism to connect to and retrieve information from various logistical support databases.

6. A network infrastructure to provide high performance network transport of all supported information to shipboard and land based sites, on demand.

The COTS technology is comprised of several applications. The foundation application provides a method to analyze and build a database of training requirements or objectives. Based on these requirements, training or performance support content is defined. This content is linked in the database to the requirements or objectives, and therefore provides a means to identify and maintain content when objectives or requirements change. In addition, linkages are provided to off-the-shelf ICW authoring packages, which in turn deliver actual IETM or ICW modules. Finally, a client/server messaging technique, successfully demonstrated in the commercial marketplace, is used to distribute and maintain version control of the IETM or ICW modules, and provides links to information from other logistical support databases. Current efforts for BFTT are focusing on the first four of the capabilities described, which are configuration management and definition, and development of IETM and ICW modules. Integration of the delivery technology will come at a later date.