Modular Open Systems Approach

A Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) is an integrated business and technical strategy to achieve competitive and affordable acquisition and sustainment over the system life cycle. In the development of Department of Defense (DoD) systems, MOSA is an acquisition and design strategy. It consists of technical architectures that adopt open standards and supports a modular, loosely coupled, and highly cohesive system structure. MOSA implies the use of a modular design, including system interfaces designed according to accepted standards with which conformance can be verified. MOSA can be employed in both defense and non-defense sectors by using a modular architecture and an open business model to add, modify, replace, and remove system components across the acquisition life cycle.

  • January 7, 2019

    MOSA Memorandum for Service Acquisition Executives and Program Executive Officers: NAVY, ARMY, AIR FORCE Modular Open Systems Approaches for our Weapons Systems is a Warfighting Imperative.