MODUK DEF STAN 21-088: PART 08 PDF

Purpose and Policy

The various parts of DEFSTAN 21-088 promulgate the, MoD Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Ships Maritime Combat Systems’ (MCS), policies and procedures for integration activities at every stage in a Maritime Combat System’s lifecycle. The term ‘system’ in this sense can refer to a single system equipment or a group of equipment procured within a system boundary, as illustrated.

The purpose of the integration process is to synthesize a set of system elements into a realized system (product or service) that satisfies system requirements, architecture and design. This process assembles the implemented systems elements. Interfaces are identified and activated to enable interoperations of the systems elements as intended. This process integrates the enabling systems with the system-of interest to facilitate interoperation. [BS ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023].

DEFSTAN 21-088 is primarily concerned with the integration of a function¹, either with other functions as part of a single system or system of systems².

Additionally, DEFSTAN 21-088 provides guidance on designing systems for integration, to ensure that new procurement programmes provide functionality that can be integrated onto RN Complex Warships. This considers the functional partitioning of applications, network or host system architecture, topology and interfacing mechanisms.

DEFSTAN 21-088 does not cover the Physical Installation of systems onto Royal Navy Platforms.

Note 1: INCOSE define a function as ‘a characteristic task, action, or activity that must be performed to achieve a desired outcome. A function may be accomplished by one or more system elements (components) comprising equipment (hardware), software, firmware, facilities, personnel and procedural data.

Note 2: A ‘System of Systems’ (SoS) is a System of Interest whose elements are managerially and/or operationally independent systems. These interoperating and/or integrated collections of constituent systems usually produce results unachievable by the individual systems alone. INCOSE Handbook.