Industrial experience with SPARK

Abstract

This paper considers a number of large, real-world projects that are using SPARK---an annotated sublauguage of Ada that is appropriate for the development of high-integrity systems. Three projects are considered in some detail where SPARK has made a contribution to meeting the most stringent software engineering standards. The projects are the Ship/Helicopter Operational Limits Instrumentation System (UK Interim Defence Standard 00-55), the MULTOS CA (a high-security system developed to the standards of ITSEC level E6), and the Lockheed C130J Mission Computer (DO-178B Level A). A less successful project is also described. The lessons learnt from these projects show that SPARK offers a cost-effective approach for the construction of high-integrity software when it is deployed judiciously within an appropriate software development process.