Software Improvement Options for the H-1 Program

Abstract

The AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters' software has long been called “spaghetti code” by those in the program office and developmental test squadron. For the first 15 years of the current models’ service, years would go by between software updates due to the time required to code and test the software. Recent years have seen an improvement in software delivery timelines, but errors, rework, and delays still occur. A major factor in this issue is the software architecture: it is a large, unstructured monolith. Two types of upgrade options, modular monolith and microservices, are analyzed to determine a suitable alternative to the current software. The modular monolith architecture proves to be the most suitable based on its lower cost, higher performance, and faster delivery capabilities.