Ensuring Quality

Enabling Defense Systems Interoperability

Scenario: A joint strike force encompassing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and coalition units is preparing to strike an adversary's stronghold. For this operation to succeed, all units must be able to communicate effectively with one another and with the central command. What is more, to increase the agility and flexibility of the strike force, the number of individual weapons platforms must be minimized—while firepower is maximized. Interoperability among systems used by U.S. and coalition forces—built and designed by different contractors—is critical.

To make this happen, HPTi is assisting the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) in ensuring that Department of Defense (DoD) systems interoperate with one another. Many missions call for close cooperation among forces; problems that arise when weapons and systems are created independently of one another must be eliminated. Compounding the need for systems that can easily operate together is the longevity of DoD systems. Many will be around for the next 30 to 40 years. In fact, many helicopter and aircraft designs that were created in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s are still in use today.

To create interoperability, HPTi is working with builders and designers from multiple contractors—each developing systems for different branches of the military—to agree upon standard guidelines for all DoD systems. Systems engineering discipline, systems architecture, use of IT standards, program management, and no small amount of diplomacy are enabling HPTi to successfully conduct the necessary reviews and facilitation that will result in successful DoD systems interoperability. This program provides a significant contribution as the United States maintains its status as the world's most effective military force.

Meeting Survivability Requirements

Scenario: An armored personnel carrier is rumbling down a desert road when a missile is launched at the vehicle. The carrier deploys counter-measures that deflect the missile and save the lives of all the passengers. This sounds like science fiction, but the researchers of the Active Protection System are making this reality, and HPTi helped them to choose the proper architecture and technologies.

The U.S. Army is developing an advanced Active Protection System (APS) capability that will protect the Future Combat System's (FCS) Manned Ground Vehicles. The APS detects incoming threats and then deflects or destroys them so that the targeted vehicle will survive. HPTi applied its expertise in systems engineering to guide FCS architecture and Army technology investment decisions.

HPTi and the U.S. Army Armament Research Development Engineering Center conducted a systems engineering trade study that is helping FCS and the Army Research Development Engineering Command make more informed investment decisions. These decisions allow the FCS to meet its survivability requirements. We developed a decision analysis and resolution process, a validated technology database, and system performance analysis tools. At the conclusion of the study, HPTi wrote a final report that was briefed to Army and industry leadership.

HPTi worked with the threat community to define and understand how the enemy will fight. We also worked with the brightest minds in the industry to understand and identify salient technologies and architecture combinations. In addition, HPTi built system analysis tools that captured the community's knowledge. These tools were used to study APS alternatives and identify those with the highest probability of success. We also conducted a Monte Carlo analysis on the effect of varying external conditions on the technologies and architectures. The results of this study provided DoD and industry decision makers with information necessary to make decisions that will drive Army technology and FCS program agendas for years to come.

Earthquake Engineering

Scenario: Earthquake Engineers (EE) are a specialized breed of tsunami engineers, geotechnical engineers, and structural engineers. Because they are so rare and so dispersed—only a few thousand EEs are scattered about the world—opportunities for these professionals to interact and share their knowledge are scarce. Until fairly recently, collaboration among EEs was primarily in-person, a geographic hardship that could stretch experiment and analysis times out to years. To rectify this situation, the National Science Foundation's Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) created a collaborative environment called NEESgrid, a system that helped EEs bring together planning strategies for earthquakes. Using NEESgrid, EEs could collaborate in real-time with other researchers, builders, educators, and IT specialists. NEESgrid provided EEs with easy access to experimental data that they needed to be effective, and it gave them a medium in which to educate students at all levels about this critical specialization, helping to teach and build the next generation of EEs.

HPTi's IT specialists assisted in this effort by planning, reviewing, and testing the NEESgrid system. HPTi's Independent Validation & Verification (IV&V) study ensured that all the tools and integration work for NEESgrid were functional. By conducting this study during the tool's development, HPTi minimized the number of problems that collaborators encountered as they worked together. We identified pitfalls that could have hindered this successful combination of practical experience and experimental knowledge into successful earthquake countermeasures.