Innovative Defense Technologies
Implementing Best-in-Class Automated Software Testing Capabilities

Amidst the technology advancement in the defense sector, the DoD’s complex software systems have to meet thousands of requirements, support multiple platform configurations, and interoperate with a wide range of systems. Given the mission critical nature of these systems, software changes and updates require thorough testing of requirements across all configurations to ensure that systems are suitable for deployment. The process typically consumes more than 50 percent of a program’s schedule and budget. Addressing these issues is Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), an Arlington, VA based company that provides automated software testing solutions based on a methodology and product suite developed under the U.S. Navy’s Automated Test and ReTest (ATRT) program. “To develop an automated test strategy with customers, we identify their specific objectives and priorities, assess the state of their current test program, and then provide a recommendation for how automation could best support their program,” says Bernie Gauf, CEO, IDT.

ATRT facilitates the automation of system testing efforts across the entire software testing lifecycle. It dramatically accelerates test execution, improves software quality, and reduces the time and resources associated with traditional evaluation methods.IDT partners with the DoD, defense contractors, and commercial customers to help facilitate the efficient integration, testing and analysis of large, complex, mission critical systems. “Our automated software solutions can be fully customized to meet each customer’s specifications, improving software testing efficiency by an average of 75 percent while also expanding their test coverage,’’ says Gauf.

As a named inventor on IDT’s patent, Method and System for Implementing ATRT Procedures, Gauf elaborates on the robust suite of rapidly evolving ATRT products, “Our product suite currently has three main areas of focus: test execution, analysis of test results, and cyber

security. Test Manager facilitates the efficient automation of the software testing lifecycle. Analysis Manager rapidly evaluates system behavior based on the automated analysis of test data against requirements and performance specifications.

Information Security Manager certifies and pro¬tects large Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) using a knowledge-based automated approach that detects and resolves security vulnerabilities. The ATRT methodology and product suite dramatically accelerate test execution and reporting time while also enabling expanded test coverage and test complexity.”

One of IDT’s reputable clients, the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), utilizes ATRT to support their objectives, such as the automated execution of tests and expanded test coverage. The time and resources needed to manually conduct the re-testing of software changes was limiting the pace at which NAVAIR could deliver systems. Additionally, they wanted to minimize unknown defects and test more requirements, permutations, and configurations. NAVAIR successfully employed ATRT, resulting in reduced risk of latent software defects, increased testing cover¬age, and the ability to reuse test cases and share test results among the contractor and government teams responsible for the system.

“IDT’s business and strategy are based on the firm belief that automated software testing and analysis are essential to the future of software development for mission-critical systems. Our focus is on consistently delivering solutions to our customers on-time and on-budget, while exceeding their expectations and advancing the art of the possible through automation,’’ says Gauf.

Furthermore, the company aims to expand on automation technology and products across the DoD sector. “We have an outstanding team at IDT that is incredibly innovative and committed to addressing the challenges of our customers to more rapidly and affordably deliver new critical capabilities to the war-fighter, while also increasing the quality of the software delivered,” concludes Gauf.