BAE Systems achieves world-class systems/software rating.

BAE Systems North America has achieved a level of systems and software engineering maturity matched by only 13 organizations worldwide.

The "Level 5" Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) rating was awarded to BAE Systems Mission Solutions, San Diego, Calif., and BAE Systems Integrated Systems, Reston, Va., by the Software Engineering Institute Dec. 17. Level 5 is the highest SEI rating, and indicates that the two business units are operating at the "Optimizing Level" in its systems and software development processes.

"This is a tremendous achievement for our organization," said Marshall Banker, president, BAE Systems Information Systems Sector. "BAE Systems increasingly uses mature systems and software engineering processes to leverage domain expertise and best practices, reduce defects, improve productivity, and enhance overall competitiveness. We are continuously improving in order to maintain our status as a premiere developer and integrator of large complex systems and software intensive systems for our government and commercial customers. This achievement reflects the high maturity level of our development processes and, in particular, our ability to systematically refine our processes and the products we produce."

Capability Maturity Model Integration was developed by a coalition of industry, government and the Software Engineering Institute to objectively appraise the full range of an organization's engineering capabilities.

Bob Stow, BAE Systems North America vice president for engineering and technology said, "This is a major milestone within the company-wide CMMI process improvement initiative to achieve world-class capability in systems, software, and program management. Significant productivity improvements have and will continue to be realized throughout the company as a result of this initiative."

The Software Productivity Consortium, Herndon, Va., a non-profit partnership of industry, government, and academia, conducted the three-week independent assessment. A team of seven appraisers reviewed BAE Systems documented processes, and interviewed all levels of systems practitioners, software developers and company management.

"BAE Systems is known throughout the systems and software engineering industry for setting an extremely high bar in the way it defines and implements process improvement frameworks," said Al Truesdale, Software Productivity Consortium Lead Appraiser. "Given the company's widespread adoption of uniformly high levels of mature systems and software engineering practices, it's clear that BAE Systems maintains an enterprise-wide focus in instilling the common use of best practices throughout its operating units."

BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of advanced defense and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space.

BAE Systems Information Systems Sector, part of BAE Systems North America, provides information technology systems and services to the intelligence and military communities as well as geospatial products for commercial use.