Developed under a Tri-Service Memorandum of Agreement, the Common Ada Programming Support Environment (APSE) Interface Set (CAIS) is designed to provide a tool portability layer that would be implementable on a variety of computer hardware and operating system configurations. Implementation of the CAIS provides the tool builder with a standard set of tool interfaces described by the Kernel Ada Programming Support Environment (KAPSE) in the Stoneman document (1980). In addition, the CAIS design's underlying node model design provides support for entity management and process management, critical elements of a truly integrated support environment. The first version of the CAIS was approved in October 1986 and designated as DOD-STD-1838.

Two of the three Competing Prime Contractors for the Software Technology for Adaptable Reliable Systems (STARS) program have adopted CAIS as the basis of their software-engineering environments; they are also developing tools for subsequent integration.

CAIS-A

In April 1989, DOD-STD-1838 was superseded by an expanded interface set: Revision A, which was designated as MIL-STD-1838A. In CAIS-A, the basic functionality of the CAIS was expanded to include such features as typing, distribution, transaction support, extended input/output, resource control, and security.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has accepted CAIS-A as a basis for production-quality improvements of a NATO APSE; software- development tools are in design for integration in this environment.

How to Obtain the CAIS-A Document

Hardcopies of the CAIS-A document may be obtained from:

Order Desk
Standardization Documents
700 Robins Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094
Information: 215/697-2179 or -2667

Please be sure to use the document number MIL-STD-1838A when ordering copies.

For both industry and government requesters, we are told that no more than five copies can be sent, unless a sufficient justification is provided.