Subminiature Flight Safety System (SFSS), Application of Total Systems Engineering Approach to Reduce Product Development Cost and Risk

Abstract

[Abstract] The Test and Evaluation (T&E) community has identified a long standing need for a small, inexpensive flight termination/telemetry system that can be installed in a variety of weapon systems. The Subminiature Flight Safety System (SFSS) is a Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP) effort managed at Eglin AFB, Florida. The SFSS concept offers a solution to allow weapon system developers, test agencies, and range safety officers the capability to track, monitor, and if necessary, terminate flight of all types of weapon systems. It is designed to interface with newly developed weapon systems while providing backward compatibility to meet existing requirements with minimal weapon modifications. This paper describes how the SFSS project team has implemented a total systems engineering approach from project initiation through development to date. The triService composition of the SFSS Team allowed technical requirements and performance concerns of Army, Navy and Air Force Major Test Ranges to be addressed throughout the design process. This process was further enhanced through the application of the Air Force Systems Engineering Assessment Model (SEAM), which ensures consistent understanding and application of core systems engineering processes throughout development and qualification. Using the SEAM and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) as guides, the SFSS project team focused on institutionalizing processes for the 10 core engineering areas: requirements, project planning, design, verification and validation, manufacturing, transition, fielding and sustainment, configuration management, risk management, technical management and control, and decision analysis. The use of state of the art commercial technologies, the implementation of best engineering practices, and the contributions of key technical experts have accelerated the project throughout its development. This paper describes how the implementation of systems engineering best practices described above has led to critical early successes and how the continued use of these principles will greatly influence the quality of the final product while reducing development cost and risk.