NATS - National Aerospace Technology Strategy > ATVPs and AINs > Systems Engineering AIN
print friendly pageSystems Engineering AIN
In many large-scale enterprises, such as aerospace and defence, automotive transport, distribution and healthcare, the overall capability and efficiency of these so-called 'systems of systems' is significantly influenced by the degree of systems integration that is achieved. To date, integration of groups of stand-alone systems has largely been attempted through bespoke interfaces. To achieve greater impact in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility, new approaches to the integration process are required.
The current emphasis in systems engineering is to engineer successfully well-integrated products or services by using pro-active approaches rather than the traditional reactive product development processes. Successful use of techniques for eliciting and interpreting requirements, developing new system concepts, representing and modelling relationships in these concepts, analysing sensitivity and robustness, together with advanced verification and validation techniques, all need to be complemented by further advances in these systems engineering techniques for application to exponentially complex systems, together with advances in techniques for product maturity modelling and architecture analysis.
This pan-industry AIN has a set of primary objectives that address overall systems, integrating processes and technologies, with a focus on provision of effective capability delivery. This objective fully aligns with the UK
To this end, this AIN supports many of the complementary AeIGT projects and proposals being put forward to drive through the objective of sustaining the 's excellence in the aerospace industry.
Research Themes
From an aerospace perspective, the key to satisfying business requirements is the identification of potential solutions to specific drivers. In this context, this Systems Engineering AIN has identified four generic themes that form the core of the systems engineering thinking it is hoped to impress amongst the aerospace community. This clearly implies an approach that engages most if not all of the supply chain throughout the product/service lifecycle. The specific themes chosen are:
SysE-1- Design and management of complex systems: Systems Architectures
To enable aerospace organisations and their respective supply-chain to undertake ?big picture? trade-offs and cost-models early in the design lifecycle through specific projects on:
(1) Models for functional requirements and cost implications;
(2) Operational flexibility vs dedicated functionality;
(3) Open systems and security associated with collaborative design;
(4) Obsolescence and incremental qualification through modular designs
SysE-2- System Measurement and Through Life Management
Activities focusing on developing and implementing techniques for whole-system health diagnose-ability (system broken or degraded?) and health management to enable:
(1) Establishment of acceptance & performance criteria (for Fault Detection Tools);
(2) Whole-systems prognostics (when will systems begin to fail?);
(3) Health management for future flexible system architectures and product optimisation/evolution;
(4) Qualitative reasoning and learning within the design process;
(5) Enhanced reliability assessment (extending reliability data)
SysE-3- Systems Integration and Autonomy
The objective for this activity will be to establish a systems-perspective and understanding in relation to the development of autonomous and semi-autonomous, highly integrated, environments. The projects within this theme will address:
(1) Human factors related aspects for centralised and decentralised decision making;
(2) Systems engineering integration techniques;
(3) Properties of groups/swarms-based systems (e.g. air-trains and UCAV swarms);
(4) Service provision, capability-based analyses, for autonomous platforms
SysE-4- Design for affordable life-cycle cost of immortal systems
This theme focuses on systems engineering techniques aimed at reducing lifecycle costs by enabling iterative development methodologies which include:
(1) Developing methods for rapid adaptations to requirements changes;
(2) Establishing rapid prototyping methodologies that allow early customer feedback;
(3) Promoting useful functional build-up throughout the development lifecycle;
(4) Raising levels of abstraction and reuse by using Model Based Design techniques;
(5) Targeting obsolescence, COTS and MOTS strategies through life costs and certification issues
Benefits
Systems engineering is a holistic approach to developing and delivering products and services and, as such, it underpins future competitiveness and capability improvements. The SyEAIN offers opportunities for university and industrial links to be formed and cross-sectoral benefits to be delivered through spill-over of our improved processes and techniques to other companies leading to a strengthened local economy. Additionally improvements in systems engineering capability derived from the SyEAIN will make companies better able to compete in a global market place.
Status
The programme is currently in the scoping stage with industry working closely with the MoD to identify technology research themes to align and support the projected future capability requirements for the air battlespace. The research programme is expected to commence from 2007.