Fire Support Planning System (FSPS): A Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS), Windows-Based, Wireless Approach

Given the rapid rate of today's technological changes and in an environment of austere budgets, DoD faces a significant challenge relating to hardware and software. This joint thesis explores two major issues. First, whether commercial off the shelf (COTS) software development tools in conjunction with the Rapid Application Development (RAD) software development methodology can be used to deliver meaningful applications for the warfighter. Second, this thesis describes an overview of the commercial wireless technologies available today and whether these technologies could enhance the capabilities of the Marine Corps tactical communications architecture to transmit RAD/Win32 compliant software applications. As a specific demonstration case, the authors developed the Fire Support Planning System (FSPS) software which would ride on top of the Marine Corps' Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC) application.