Digital Engineering Applied to the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress for Integration Risk Reduction

Hepburn and Sons LLC (Hepburn) proposes to leverage our teamÆs expertise in Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Digital Engineering (DE) to provide the Air Force with a digital ecosystem and framework for the B-52H legacy aircraft digital twin. HepburnÆs proposed approach is to use MBSE and DE principles to improve the Air Force Global Strike CommandÆs (AFGSC) cost-effectiveness in design and manufacturing of new systems and reduce risk for integration of equipment into the legacy B-52H legacy aircraft system through the 2050s. Rolls-Royce Corporation and its subsidiary Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. (LibertyWorks«) provided a letter of support, ōRolls Royce is very interested in Hepburn and SonsÆ proposed digital effort especially because of potential applicability to an Air Force digital pathfinder project such as the B-52 re-engine program.ö The purpose of this project in developing a B-52H digital twin is not simply to replicate the physical twin. Rather, the purpose of the proposed approach is to create a digital framework that enables AFGSC with the ability to increase mission assurance confidence while reducing risk (integration of new systems and equipment) over the life cycle of the aircraft to improve maintenance forecasting and training. Applying the latest policies and directives from DoD, Hepburn will model the legacy aircraft using Cameo Enterprise Architecture (Cameo) as the foundational model and as needed will use other software such as, but not limited to: OpenMBEE, AutoCAD, CATIA, SysML 1.6, and Python. The AFGSC will provide the style guide for this work and Hepburn will strictly align to that style guide. The final deliverable of Phase I will include the system concept, a completed feasibility study including a risk assessment, and HepburnÆs solution for creating a digital twin of the B-52H legacy system as part of the Phase II initial proposal. The system concept will be a digital framework that will be an evolving digital twin of the B-52H ready to accept and integrate virtual environments and other system models and simulations. The final deliverable(s) will be Cameo files that integrate the provided style guide. During Phase II, Hepburn will fully construct the approved concept into a prototype.ĀThe process involves a detailed review of the aircraft design, identification of mission critical systems (MCS), building a model that captures the aircraft features and systems as best as possible, updating the parameters through targeted testing, and iteratively simulating this model to better inform design decisions. The Hepburn process is referred to as a Model-Test-Model-Inform (MTMI) framework which is thoroughly reviewed.Ā