Based upon my experiences performing security cooperation duties in the Military Assistance Program (MAP) in Jordan, at a GCC, and at DISAM, I offer some thoughts and comments concerning the SDO/DATT concept.
No. Barley is not wheat at all. Barley and wheat are two different species of cereal grasses belonging to the family Triticeae. Barley does belong in the wheat family, which is, as mentioned, Triticeae, but is of an entirely different species from wheat. The species name for barley is Hordeum vulgare, and the species name for wheat is Triticum aestivum. No doubt either look similar, but both are quite different from the other.
It takes about 30 minutes to cook this type of barley. The next type of barley is the barley grits. This barley is toasted and has been cracked into smaller pieces for faster cooking. However, this kind of barley is rare. You may substitute buckwheat or hominy grits for this one. The black barley is another variety.