Year
2009
Abstract
Beginning in 2001, a collaborative effort between the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense (MOD) resulted in the establishment of the Kola Technical Center (KTC) in Northern Russia. The KTC facilitates centralized training and technical support to MOD sites in the region for which the DOE provided nonproliferation assistance to upgrade physical protection systems. The KTC has proven to be a superb and cost- effective model for providing similar support to upgraded MOD sites in all other regions in Russia. As part of the establishment of the KTC, an approved training curriculum was designed and developed based upon documented skills and equipment required to successfully operate, administer, manage, and maintain the installed physical protection systems at the upgraded sites. Also processes and procedures to support infrastructure, the maintenance and testing of equipment, lifecycle support, and spare parts inventory are nearing complete implementation. The magnitude of this support requires a dependable software tool to track and analyze equipment and training-related data generated at the sites and the KTC. After a thorough review and based on documented technical requirements, an indigenous Russian software company (AstroSoft), which utilizes an open architecture operating platform required by the MOD, was selected and certified by the Russian Federation Navy (RFN) as the tool of choice to support RFN sites and for use at the KTC. This paper will address the capabilities and utilization of this software for integrated regional center and site support.