Identify/Establish the requirements for the TM

Identifying the TM User's Requirements

Infrastructure development

Data uses

TMs in the CALS environment

Non digital Data Deliverables

Paper

Microfiche/Microfilm

Digital Data Deliverables

Life cycle considerations

TM Contract Requirements

Technical manuals are any technical publication or other form of media used to install, operate, maintain, test, repair, overhaul, or provide logistic support of ships, aircraft, defence systems, or defence material.They are the operating and maintenance instructions for military technicians. They contain a combination of textual narrative and illustrative graphic images presented in a formal, structured, page-oriented format governed by specific functional standards.

These manuals have traditionally been prepared and delivered in hard copy form as camera-ready copy, which are, in turn, printed in large lots. However, TM data may be presented or delivered in any media including, but not limited to, hard copy, audio and visual displays, on-line access, magnetic tape, discs, and other electronic devices.

The implementation of automated data processing technology offers numerous improvement opportunities in both preparation of technical manuals and in the delivery, storage, distribution, and maintenance of these manuals. Technical manual data in digital form can be stored on magnetic or optical media, transmitted and shown on computer terminals, and printed on demand. Acquiring technical manual deliverables in digital form allows the military user to view required information without printing it on paper.

Acquiring processable data files provides the opportunity to tailor outputs for particular uses and users. Data can be reformatted into step-by-step trouble-shooting formats for maintenance personnel, it can be adapted to expert system diagnostic programs, or it can be used to generate training aids.

The development of a CALS strategy for TMs needs to be carefully examined to maximize the value for a specific defence system program. Program attributes such as technology, costs, quantities, and schedules have a profound effect on the delivery requirements for TMs. The technical manual manager must consider the life cycle of the procurement and the infrastructure in place or being developed to support the TMs for their program.

The benefits associated with using digital data for TMs include:

• improved handling and reduced storage of TM data with electronic filing and archiving;
• reduced costs associated with printing and distributing TMs by providing on-line access to the TM data, so that naval personnel could access the data repository from their field activity and view and/or print the specific TMs they require;
• improved accuracy and timeliness of the TM data, due in part to the simplified incorporation of changes.

The acquisition guidance provided in this section applies to the three major TM categories: Description, Operation, and Maintenance with Illustrated Parts Breakdown; Installation and Checkout Procedures; and Technical Repair Standards.

The following paragraphs discuss various considerations that must be addressed:

• Identify/Establish the Requirement for the TM
• Identifying the TM User's Infrastructure
• TMs in a CALS Environment
• Life Cycle Considerations

Identify/Establish the requirements for the TM

The project manager will first identify the requirement to procure a TM through the development of overall supportability goals and the initial maintenance philosophy. This is brought about through the Logistic Support Analysis (LSA) process. The LSA process will quantify and define requirements such as the need to operate or perform maintenance on equipment. The Logistic Support Analysis Record (LSAR) will contain the necessary task narratives for the operation and maintenance of equipment and will be used as the primary source for the development of technical manuals of various types.

Identifying the TM User's Requirements

The project manager must now identify the intended TM user's infrastructure.

The Users include :

• Those involved in system acquisition, review and approval;
• the Tm management infrastructure;
• the end user.

The project manager should consider for each user:

• the existing and planned infrastructures;
• available CALS data exchange standards;
• the various digital data deliverable options in terms of media, format, and access.

The expected infrastructure will be documented in the NATO CALS Concept of Operations (NCoO), and will include:

• The hardware and software systems the NATO/NATO nations have, or is developing, to manage and use the data;
• Data users, types of data, frequency of use, and timeliness of data access or delivery to each user;
• Data use and the review and/or approval processes to support life cycle functions;
• Users' locations and their primary functions in support of the defence system;
• Data interchange requirements including format, media, applicable standards, and existing telecommunications capabilities;
• Access authorizations and restrictions;
• Data acceptance requirements including data format and content of data and the NATO/NATO nations process for accepting product, processable, or Contractor Integrated Technical Information Service (CITIS) data;
• Digital data resources or source data (libraries of historical data, standards, and specifications) available to support program acquisition and logistics processes.

Acquisition requirements for user hardware and software to support a fielded defence system must be considered during the CALS implementation strategy and planning process.

Infrastructure development

Effective acquisition of digital data can be done only with full consideration of the ability of the NATO/NATO nations to receive, store, distribute, and use digital data that complies with the CALS standards. The project manager must establish the uses for which the data is required, and the infrastructure modernization programs that must be available to support this data.

The evolution of this infrastructure is a key consideration in implementing the CALS strategy on any given acquisition. Deficiencies in the infrastructure modernization will jeopardize the effort to implement the CALS TMs strategy effectively.

The availability of digital data processing and telecommunications technology and approved standards for creation, storage, transmission, data protection, and integrity of data at the time of delivery or access are important criteria for acquisition decisions. The current and projected capabilities of both the contractor and NATO/NATO nations must be assessed with respect to program needs and schedules. The NCoO, Contractor's Approach to CALS (CAC), and CALS Implementation Plan (CALSIP) are excellent vehicles for making these determinations.

The data user infrastructure, which is the computing environment available to a particular user, must be considered when acquiring digital data. This environment establishes the data processing capabilities of that user. The following areas identify a user's infrastructure:

• Hardware: Determine the current and planned hardware available to support the defence system program;
• Software: This is the most critical element. Interoperability will normally be achieved through the use of software. Again, determine both present and future software applications and availability.
• Networks: Determine the local and wide-area networking capabilities and whether CITIS will be used.

Data uses

The project manager will need to identify the use of the data by all organizations involved in the acquisition program in order to make good decisions on digital Tms requirements. The five defined categories of data processing are:

• View only: The ability to examine a data file without the ability to change it. This includes viewing selected portions of one or several documents as well as side-by-side comparisons of documents;
• Comment/Annotate: The ability to evaluate and highlight for future reference or to make annotations, approvals, and comments without the ability to change the original file. Annotations are associated with a specific item or location within a document such that the annotations are displayed whenever that point or area of the document is displayed;
• Update/Maintain: The ability to change data, either directly or through controlling software, in the active files on the host computer;
• Extract/Process/Transform: The ability to extract and modify the format, composition, and structure of the data into another usable form;
• Archive: The placing of data into a repository to preserve it for future use.

TMs in the CALS environment

The project manager should be aware that it is possible to acquire TMs in a variety of forms depending upon the needs of the users. Documents such as maintenance manuals may be highly beneficial when procured as Interactive Electronic TMs (IETM). The IETM user would be the technician whose main concern is finding the desired maintenance-related information quickly and easily without being burdened in the field with the entire maintenance manual.

Description, operation, and maintenance, and installation and checkout manuals, however, may be procured best in raster or Page Description Language (PDL) since these manuals are not used as often. Obviously, it is better to leave these decisions up to the individual program office since each defence system program is unique in its requirements. Primary considerations for the project manager to address when applying CALS to the creation, management, and use of TMs is the media, format, and content of TM data deliverables and their respective end users. Paper, microfiche, and microfilm have been included in this discussion of CALS because much of the current inventory is still available on these media. The CALS initiatives will reduce or eliminate the need for these forms of media in the future.

Non digital Data Deliverables

Paper

Paper or final reproducible copy has long been the traditional media for delivery of product data and related information. TMs delivered on this media may have originated from many sources including other existing paper documentation, microfiche, microfilm, or any of the digital data formats described in the following paragraphs.

No digital data infrastructure requirements are necessary for TMs delivered on paper. However, converting the data content of paper to a digital data format requires infrastructure systems that include scanning hardware and software to support the conversion of both text and graphics from hardcopy to electronic format.

Microfiche/Microfilm

Microfiche and microfilm are other traditional media for delivery of data. They are not recommended media for obtaining new data, but are mentioned here since legacy data in this form already exists. Converting the data contents of microfiche or microfilm to a more flexible digital data format requires additional infrastructure requirements that include scanning hardware and software to support both text and graphics.

Digital Data Deliverables

The project manager must choose from a variety of digital data formats and media options. For TM delivery, the list includes:

• Data Formats:
  • Raster
  • Illustrated Text Data Files:
    1. Text:
       1. American Standards Code for Information Interchange (ASCII);
       2. Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)
    2. Illustrations:
       1. Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM)
       2. Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)
       3. Raster
    3. PDL
    4. Neutral data files
  • Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM)
• Media:
  • MIL-STD-1840 magnetic tape
  • Magnetic disk
  • Optical disk
  • CITIS - interactive access

Life cycle considerations

TMs are generally not required until the later acquisition life-cycle phases of a defence system program. TMs available during the earlier phases may be preliminary copies that have not been verified or have not received final acceptance but are useful for test verification, training, and operation. Preliminary versions may be delivered in mutually-agreeable word-processing format while the FRCs should be in SGML format. Final Reproducible Copies (FRC) are available in the later phases. The project manager must consider the information volume and typical use of the data generated during each of these phases to determine the appropriate TM deliverable format. Note that the deliverable format may be different for each phase.

TM Contract Requirements

Delivery of defence system data in digital form requires changes to NATO solicitations and contracts including their attachments and enclosures. These changes should be made with full consideration of the ability of NATO to make cost effective use of digital data deliverables or access.

Each defence system program may include unique requirements for which additional program-specific tailoring will be needed. Most of the applicable CALS standards and specifications contain contract-negotiable options from which the project manager must choose to satisfy program-specific requirements including multiple classes or types of data formats.

The TM Contract Requirements (TMCR) will identify the types of TMs required and include language that specifies exactly how data will be delivered (including media, format, and content) under the contract. SGML should be invoked whenever possible for digital delivery of Tms.

The media for delivery such as magnetic tape, optical disk, or on-line (networks, telephone modems, CITIS) should be compatible with NATO/NATO nations receiving system capabilities. Some digital interim deliverables, may be efficiently acquired by agreeing on a common word processing package in the contract and specifying the appropriate and compatible physical media such as magnetic disk, magnetic tape, etc.