The National Weather Service (NWS) has been an early adopter in the use of Open Source software in AWIPS by converting to the Linux Operating System and more recently moving from Informix to PostgreSQL. Open Source projects have proliferated and matured and are now viable alternatives for many applications.

Raytheon Company is currently developing a new AWIPS SOA that utilizes Open Source software extensively. The system will minimize the use of COTS and proprietary software.

This paper provides an overview of the specific Open Source components and how they are used in the new AWIPS SOA. The paper also discusses the benefits of using Open Source as well as associated risks and mitigation approaches.