IndexIntroductionLow-Risk Investments with Crib ItemsEconomically Viable Means of Acquiring State-of-the-Art Military EquipmentcotsTactical Advantage ThreadcotsCompatibility Issues Between Different Crib ItemsSuitability of Crib Items to Meet Your RequirementsGovernment Regulation and Limitations upon exportSecurity implicationsAddress obsolescence issues in systems militaryConclusionIntroductionAcross the globe, the defense industry has grown tremendously, producing the equipment required by militaries around the world. In the case of private companies, the majority of sales are Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) items, as they have significant benefits for all parties involved. From the overall cost to getting higher quality and more advanced technology, it seems to be a trend that is here to stay. However, COTS has not been officially defined by any international organization, but is generally accepted as software or hardware purchased directly from the market and used. Therefore, this essay will include completely unmodified COTS and COTS that have been slightly modified to meet the buyer's needs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Low-Risk Investments with Crib ItemsArticles have a clear advantage over custom-procured items in that they are a low-risk investment. COTS items are purchased after the product is available in the market, so the product has passed the initial product development stages, such as idea generation, prototyping and feasibility checks. As with most projects, the riskiest phase exists in the product development stages as the product could ultimately fail for a multitude of reasons. From engineering limitations to management and decision-making issues, all of these factors add cost and wasted time for everyone involved in the project, explaining the high rate of defective products. One of the newest aircraft in development, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, is a prime example of the risk involved in developing new military equipment. Namely, the budget overrun from the initially planned cost of 233.0 billion for 2866 aircraft to the current 406.1 billion for 2470 aircraft, with entry into operation by 2012, which is long overdue. As the main financier of this project, it has put a strain on the US defense budget, and not only will the program cost more, but it will also provide smaller sets for operational use, at a later date. Such collaborations are also occurring around the world, with increasingly larger projects underway to develop better military equipment with more advanced technology incorporated, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. Therefore, by purchasing COTS items, you effectively mitigate all the risks involved in creating and producing a new product by simply purchasing it when it is near completion. Cost-effective means of acquiring cutting-edge military equipment. Cots items have also become the most economically logical and effective way for smaller or poorer countries to afford state-of-the-art equipment. Developing this cutting-edge equipment often costs up to billions, especially when developing the next generation of warfare capabilities. The project cost for the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit amounted to $44,390 million, in 1994, not even including the costs of purchasing, maintaining and operating the bomber,while fifth generation fighter aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 The cost of the Lightning II and Chengdu J-20 programs is in the billions. In order to cover the full cost of the project, it would require a substantial increase in the entire budget of any country that wanted to attempt to implement them. Compared to the cost of purchasing one from the manufacturer, the initial cost will be drastically reduced, allowing you to be able to acquire such equipment. Additionally, COTS offers countries and companies the ability to develop and acquire the equipment they need. The complexity of next-generation warfighting capabilities involves collaboration between multiple parties, combining their expertise to produce the final product, particularly for areas such as the construction of submarines and fighter aircraft, which are too complex for most countries can skillfully create them themselves. Furthermore, much non-combat infrastructure is obtained from commercial sources, such as the construction of simulators for training purposes. Not only in actual military equipment, non-combat infrastructure is often commercially obtained from around the world. Tactical Advantage ThreadcotsItems are often produced to the same specification and construction, meaning the hardware is likely to have minimal differences while the software, such as Microsoft operating software, and Microsoft Office, are often completely identical as no additional processing is required. edit. By using the same devices it becomes easier to identify the weak points and defects of the system and, if possible, exploit them to the detriment of the other party. In this era, information warfare has become critical in planning operations. From open sources, operational data and other key information such as the layout of military bases can be easily obtained, allowing enemy forces to strategize around the limitations. Taking radars and submarines as an example, knowing the operational range and depth, naval forces can plan their approach with a known parameter. Reducing uncertainty in a military operation will improve the likelihood of success. Compatibility Issues Between Different Crib Items Compatibility is also another important factor when using crib items. Numerous studies have been conducted on the problems arising from the integration of different COTS software into one main system, when a larger system is built from smaller elements. While there is standardization and best practices within a programming language, it is still a best practice and there is no standardization between different programming languages. In addition to this, there is a further problem related to the different written language and the complexity of modern software. Combining these factors together creates a potent mix of disasters waiting to happen. Suitability of cot items to meet your requirements Ultimately, as with any product, the main objective will be to make money and generate revenue for the company. This will motivate companies to supply their COTS items to the biggest spenders or the main buyer of the new equipment, which are mainly countries like the US, China and Russia, as seen from their military expenditures. Therefore, the hardware will be built to suit their climate and populations. While this is not a problem for countries that meet those parameters, Asian countries will have to customize the equipment to fit their needs, which may not be possible. Differences like body size and climate make a big difference in the overall effectiveness of the equipment. The Asian body is biologically smaller thanour European counterparts and, therefore, our body's range and reach are smaller. This will effectively mean that the equipment will have to be modified to fit the purchasing company's structure. However, the difficulty will be high, especially with things like fighter planes, which heavily optimize every single part of the cockpit. Government Regulation and Export Restrictions Military COTS products are often regulated by the government agency in the manufacturer's country. Military equipment is of course built for the purpose of warfare, and so there will be concerns about the sale of such equipment as it could be used for unorthodox purposes such as suppressing protesters or inciting terror. Major players in this industry are often limited by their governing body on what they can export. This is often achieved by outright banning the sale of such equipment, such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, or by creating an export variant, such as the Type-214 submarine. Primarily, the reason for these bans is to deny adversaries access to powerful technologies, as reflected in US national security priorities. This will involve acquiring a less powerful version or purchasing other equipment, both of which are poor replacements. Safety and Security Implications With these pros and cons, there will be some cause for security concern. The United States has identified COTS software as an area of ​​concern and it is a common consensus among countries. However, COTS software often controls and operates real machinery, from aircraft to the missiles it carries. Therefore, operational security will be a major issue to address. As highlighted above, COTS items will naturally mean that other countries with the same or similar equipment will be able to know key operating parameters. This means that the army has lost its information advantage and, as a result, other areas of planning and intelligence need to cover this area of ​​weakness. Software integration will have a significant impact on both safety and security. Without international standardization specifying how programs should be programmed, a single command in an embedded system can lead to multiple actions or an error, neither of which are serious. Even with the best programmers, such an intricate and complex system will often have residual bugs, as seen with large software-based companies such as the Patriot system during the 1991 Gulf War, where a bug resulted in an inability to destroy a missile enemy arriving and 27 dead. Contractors' profit goals will also pose a security risk, as they prioritize other aspects, such as effectiveness or cheaper production costs. This could place device security at the lower end of priorities, making them easier to hack or breach. Gaining remote access to military information and equipment is rarely a good thing and threatens the lives of millions of people. With COTS items, there is a higher chance of being hacked, as commercialization means that a single device or method will be capable of inflicting a significant amount of damage on military personnel. Address obsolescence issues in military items with obsolete equipment, as seen in many examples throughout history. Most COTS equipment is often manufactured to be technologically cutting edge and often remains so for a long period, up to 20 years. The Republic of Singapore Navy followed this very format during the initial phase of its inception. Purchase of vehicles.