Simulation Based Design for Large Complex COTS Based Systems

The increasing complexity and sheet magniture of advanced Army C4I systems has exceeded the capacity of system design teams to efficiently design these complex systems using existing system design methodologies and tools. Advanced system engineering development methods and automation techniques are required to manage the complexity inherent in the design of large complex computer based systems and to provide an efficient mechanism for evaluating multiple candidate design options within several domains. Simulation Based Design is a system design approach centered upon the creation of virtual system prototypes and virtual environments within an integrated system design capture and simulation framework. Virtual prototypes of candidate system designs are constructed based upon design information captured in multiple domains. These virtual prototypes are then examined through simulation in operational scenarios where the system functions in a virtual environment. This Phase I SBIR project will: (1) leverage ongoing research to refine a design capture an simulation methodology for representing and analyzing the Army Digitization Office Technical Architecture, and (2) demonstrate key aspects of an advanced CASE tool prototype supporting this methodology. The prototype CASE tool will be created to test critical items in the Simulation based Design approach an to demonstrate the feasibility of the full-scale tool development under Phase II.