The SoS‐VEE Model: Mastering the Socio‐Technical Aspects and Complexity of Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE)

Abstract

AbstractToday, almost all defense systems are part of one or more system of systems (SoS, Dahmann and Baldwin 2014). Failure to consider SoS context early and throughout acquisition can result in significant risk to the effectiveness or successful fielding of the system (DoD 2008). The SoS‐VEE model has been developed recognizing the complexity of SoS Engineering (SoSE), and that the acquisition and fielding of constituent systems (CS) in a SoS environment entails more than simply integrating physical systems. The SoS‐VEE model focuses on early SoSE activities and addresses the socio‐technical aspects of integrating people, processes, and products associated with the constituent system(s). The paper describes in a step‐by‐step process how the SoS‐VEE was derived, its underlying principles, and uses an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operating as a constituent system of the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system of systems as an example to illustrate the practical application of the SoS‐VEE model. The predominant viewpoint of this paper is from the systems engineer concerned with the acquisition or development of a (constituent) system of interest (UAV) in a System of Systems environment (NATO AGS SoS). The paper demonstrates how the systems engineer will be enabled to successfully integrate the constituent systems horizontally (physically) and vertically (socio‐technically) into the larger SoS using the SoS‐VEE model.