IBM digs in with Eclipse for weapons

IBM Rational has released an Eclipse-based tools package taking the unit back to its roots serving embedded software in an area it's calling “complex” systems – otherwise known as weapons systems.

Launching the clumsily titled Rational System Development Solution (SDS) IBM put it more euphemistically, of course. "In the aerospace and defense industry, for example, the net-centric environment of the battlefield requires manufacturers to create products that deliver advanced capabilities to the front lines fast," IBM said

The same tools could, of course, be equally well be used in other industries where there is a demand for resilient software - such as automotive. The emphasis in embedded system is on reliability and robustness, and the SDS portfolio reflects this.

The suite, following Red Hat's JBoss Eclipse announcement on Monday, includes the Eclipse-based IBM Rational Systems Developer and IBM Rational Software Modeler design and development tools that use Unified Modeling Language (UML) 2.1 to help build high-quality software. Both products have been upgraded to support the UML Profile for DoDAF and MoDAF (UPDM) standards. Specified by the Object Management Group (OMG), UPDM aims to define a common language to describe software architectures.

The SDS also includes the IBM Rational Test Real-Time to enable developers to ensure the quality and reliability of real-time and embedded systems, and to comply with industry standards such as DO-178B, MISRA and Defense Standard 00-55 and solutions. IBM Rational said Test Real-Time combines static analysis with component testing and runtime analysis across multiple host and target platforms including C, C++, Ada and Java J2SE.

IBM is taking a renewed focus on embedded systems these days, as evidenced by its proposed acquisition of Telelogic. Completion of the Telelogic deal is under review by the European Union and completion was expected this month but is now delayed indefinitely.

The two companies were working on rival proposals for UPDM - one based on SysML and one on UML - until earlier this year when the two were combined.®