Gregory T. Kiley
Several government reports released this summer concerning digital engineering bring forth cause for grave concern, while at the same time expressing optimism and a clear call to action. As Congress comes back to session this fall amidst all the expected hand-wringing and chest-thumping over budgets and deficits, it is hopeful that professional staff and members will see through the noise and act. With Hill staff pushing the Department of Defense to embrace digital engineering, they may just help alleviate a bit the next round of wailing over budget pressures and funding shortfalls; to overuse clichés, “The devil is in the details.”
On July 27, 2023, the Air Force published its accident investigation report of an October 2022 F-35 fighter aircraft crash. In short, the board reports a “software glitch” as the cause for the loss of a $166 million asset. The fact that such an advanced, top-of-the-line fighter aircraft could be lost so simply should be cause for great alarm. The fact that “software glitches” are not being caught before airborne operations should ring alarm bells even more. Coupling the accident investigation finding with any number of headlines this summer concerning the delays surrounding F-35 deliveries should keep those responsible for our Nation’s security up at night.
Also in July 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published its latest iterative report on best practices, encouraging the Department of Defense to adopt said practices to more effectively and efficiently procure and manage its assets. The GAO writes, “Agencies are increasingly acquiring complex products, such as combined networks of hardware and software, which require new processes to design, produce, and deliver. GAO found that to consistently deliver products with speed to users, acquisition programs for these networks—known as cyber-physical systems, such as aircraft and uncrewed vehicles—DoD must adopt new approaches to evaluate performance and assess execution risks.” Foundational to leading practices within successful businesses is the industry’s use of modern design tools, such as digital engineering throughout development for both hardware and software.
In June and July, respectively the House and Senate Armed Services Committees released their Reports to accompany the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Through dozens of pieces of report language, both committees encourage the Department of Defense to more rapidly embrace digital engineering methods. For example, speaking of combat vehicle development, the Senate writes, “The committee recognizes the importance of modelling and simulation (M&S) activities in combat vehicle development, especially in continuing adoption of model-based systems engineering and digital twin technologies.” The House also encourages using digital engineering tools in the early stages of developing a vehicle, prior to ‘bending metal’ for a prototype and production. The House states doing so “will assist in rapidly fielding technology with a clear understanding of the operational capability and reducing development cost and time of physical prototyping in both the early phases and throughout the life cycle.”
Given the widespread awareness, understanding and acceptance of the benefits of early, often, and continuous use of digital design tools is cause for some hope. A recently announced deal on data rights in developing a new helicopter is also cause for taxpayer celebration. However, press reports continue of data rights battles between the prime builder of the F-35 and the government, forestalling more effective use of digital engineering. The perceived need for the congressional defence committees to have to continue to encourage the Pentagon to embrace digital engineering methods – and report back on said usage, does not bode well. The call to action here is clear. The Department must push digital engineering-- and its attending benefits--- into all future upgrades of existing systems as well as new ones, starting with the F-35 program.
Back in May 2023, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told a Defense Writers Group that digital engineering can save time and money over the approaches of just a few years ago. “My best feel for that is, it’s on the order of 20 per cent, as a ballpark number,” Secretary Kendall said May 22. Twenty per cent savings on a program as large as the F-35---the largest procurement program ever for the Pentagon---is huge, to be measured in the tens of billions of dollars. As budget battles flare up this fall, and the military services fight for funding, if digital engineering were more widely embraced such potential savings across systems could indeed add up.
To summarize, consensus is growing that the use of digital engineering when upgrading modern, complex weapons systems and building new is the future; existing programs must follow suit. The call to action for the Hill is to encourage, entice and enable the Pentagon weapons buyers to act. And they must be held accountable to do so – details matter.
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