How might modern technology streamline the ingestion, digestion, and analysis of digital models to enable an efficient US Air Force (USAF) certification process?
The USAF Digital Transformation Office (DTO) is seeking companies that provide novel ways to ingest, digest, or assess digital models (special interest in MBSE SysML, CAD, and FEA models) to streamline the certification of a system and support the USAF’s Unified Certification Strategy (UCS). UCS is an emerging approach within the USAF and broader Department of Defense (DoD) to streamline the three primary certification types: Airworthiness, Cyber Security, and Nuclear Surety. One line of effort within UCS is enabling certification efficiency through digital models, such as MBSE SysML, CAD, and FEA models. As more programs within the USAF and DoD embrace digital models, the complexity and quantity of data needing to be processed through the certification pipeline will increase, so the DTO is searching for technologies that can streamline the ingestion, digestion, and analysis of models to certify systems.
The certification process requires the timely input and assessment of underlying engineering to assist the certification teams, and this is currently done through manual and semi-automated processes. With the rise of digital twins, model-based system engineering, and Dev*Ops, certifying these systems has expanded beyond what humans can do in a timely fashion, especially as more programs within the USAF and DoD embrace digital models. The goal of this Accelerator is to explore technology that can help accelerate and automate the certification process. This process includes certifying software and hardware designs for airworthiness, cyber security, and nuclear surety.
Description of the three main certification types:
Airworthiness assures an air vehicle is safe for flight and the system’s integrity is maintained. It is the certification of an air system configuration’s ability to safely attain, sustain, and complete flight in accordance with approved usage limits. (More Info)
Cyber Security means that the program is protected against cyber threats and that the code and tools operate as expected.
Nuclear Surety – The goal of nuclear surety is to ensure the system only operates as intended at the correct time. “This program applies to materiel, personnel, and procedures that contribute to the safety, security, and control of nuclear weapons, thus assuring no nuclear accidents, incidents, loss, or unauthorized or accidental use. The Air Force continues to pursue safer, more secure, and more reliable nuclear weapons consistent with operational requirements.” (More Info)
Potential Technology Topics of Interest Include:
Acuity Innovations LLC (Colorado Springs, CO) is a small, woman-owned defense contracting company that provides digital ecosystem design, program integration, and program sustainment services to defense customers. Our core services are delivered through expertise and experience in enterprise architecture, solution design, digital engineering, defensive cyberspace operations, system integration, and test and evaluation capabilities that improve performance and decrease decision timelines.
OP Media, Inc.(Draper, UT) is a digital transformation company, with a proprietary software system of technology focused on the digital transformation market for all businesses. The OP Builder Engine is a proprietary translation software system that allows any user to digitize, version, activate, and track all parts of an organization’s process. This allows for customization of content, click-through interactions, real-time updating and data-tracking of digitized processes.
RedShred (Baltimore, MD) is an API-first, AI/ML powered platform that turns data trapped in documents into usable, structured information. It helps teams extract, enrich, and reshape content for smarter applications and higher value work. It supports common formats, and easy integration with existing platforms.
Intrinsic (Newcastle, WA) is a technology services and product development company delivering modern applications and scalable Cloud software solutions. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Seattle, Intrinsic’s core engineering team provides valuable solutions for the USAF, the USN and commercial customers.
At Prewitt Ridge (Los Angeles, CA), former SpaceX and Slingshot Aerospace engineers are building digital engineering tools to promote collaboration and innovation across the entire engineering lifecycle. Verve is an engineering collaboration environment that eases inter- and intrateam friction while designing complex systems. Our software establishes an inclusive digital engineering workflow that enables integration of data sources from multiple design systems, tools and standards.
InnoVet (Dover, DE) is a pioneer in Digital Decision Making. We offer purpose-built digital engineering software and techniques to enable multidisciplinary teams to make decisions on many types of complex problems for customers at all digital maturity levels. InnoVet, Clarity from Complexity.
GURU Technologies develops custom software, web apps, mobile apps, databases, UI/UX design, desktop & server programming as well as technical support.
