{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:00:48Z","timestamp":1760058048616,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":113,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]],"date-time":"2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742169600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Brazilian Army"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Military systems, with their extended lifecycles, face challenges such as managing obsolescence, adapting to evolving operational needs, and ensuring interoperability in System of Systems contexts. Open Architectures (OAs) have been pursued to address these issues by adopting widely recognized interface standards instead of proprietary solutions, enabling more flexible and cost-effective system modifications. However, establishing effective OA environments\u2014encompassing technical, commercial, and organisational dimensions\u2014remains complex, with much of the existing knowledge restricted to the practices of a few governments. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of OA in military systems, employing systems thinking tools to examine this multifaceted concept. It integrates perspectives from government and industry, addressing the \u2018what\u2019, \u2018why\u2019, and \u2018how\u2019 of OA, and introduces a framework for identifying enabling actions. Key findings highlight that OA success depends on defining \u2018open for whom\u2019, \u2018to what level of detail\u2019, and \u2018in which parts of the system\u2019. Moreover, achieving an effective OA environment requires strategic investment, the active engagement of a Community of Practice, and maturity in the technical and legal domains. This study provides decision-makers at early stages of adoption with the necessary strategic understanding to support the customisation of OA transformation plans to suit unique contexts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13030207","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]],"date-time":"2025-03-17T08:57:02Z","timestamp":1742201822000},"page":"207","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Enabling Open Architecture in Military Systems: A Systemic and Holistic Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-6237-2358","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raquel L. V.","family":"Radoman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK"},{"name":"Brazilian Army, Bras\u00edlia 70.630-901, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0511-179X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Henshaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8889-9935","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melanie","family":"King","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK"}]},{"given":"Tim","family":"Rabbets","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK"},{"name":"QinetiQ, Portsdown Technology Park, Portsmouth PO6 3RU, UK"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"IBM (2025, January 05). 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