Overview: The current and emerging defence environment has placed heightened emphasis on the need to rapidly develop mission-fit products across land, maritime and air domains. This presentation provides an introduction to novel model-based systems engineering methodologies (MBSE) established and actively utilised at BAE Systems Australia.
Context: It is well established that the development of certifiable, software intensive, systems must balance the rigour and traceability of conventional systems engineering (SE) programs with the demands of an agile and rapidly evolving product development program. This tension of delivering minimal viable capability and first-of-type systems at pace to validate customer need, whilst maintaining sufficient rigour to facilitate future certification and mitigate accretion of technical debt, is a difficult technical and programmatic challenge to navigate.
Purpose: Blended MBSE methods adapting principles from above-the-line architecture frameworks and mission engineering concepts, object-oriented SE methods, and evolutionary lifecycle development models, was hypothesised to provide an optimal SE framework for such programs. Secondary aims included methods to support programmatic product development, product line management and variant management.
Approach: A bespoke MBSE approach, encompassing training, processes and tool customisation, was derived, trialled and refined across a range of product development projects.
Insights: It has been determined that prioritisation of several key SE drivers and core modelling viewpoints (at various stages of product maturity) provide a robust yet adaptable framework for system development. A summary of the problem drivers, key learnings and an introduction to the ‘meta-method’ used in the derivation of this approach will be provided.