The Division of Warfare (DoW) is present process a big transformation in the way it acquires and develops software program techniques. Central to this evolution is the shift from conventional document-based processes to model-centric methodologies. On this context, researchers at Carnegie Mellon College Software program Engineering Institute (SEI) just lately analyzed the alignment of the DoW’s Software program Acquisition Pathway (SWP) with the Unified Structure Framework (UAF). The purpose of the examine, as detailed on this weblog publish, is to operationalize model-based techniques engineering (MBSE) inside the SWP utilizing UAF, which might improve traceability, decision-making, and compliance throughout the lifecycle.
The Want for a Mannequin-Centric Acquisition Technique
The federal authorities’s digital engineering technique, initiated in 2018 and bolstered by subsequent directives throughout army branches, emphasizes the usage of digital fashions as the first technique of communication in engineering actions. The 2023 launch of DoDI 5000.97 formalized this shift, requiring applications initiated thereafter to include digital engineering capabilities.
Regardless of this coverage momentum, implementing MBSE throughout numerous acquisition applications stays difficult. These challenges current precious alternatives inside the SWP. Whereas the coverage is designed to streamline software program acquisition, there’s thrilling potential to reinforce it additional by incorporating clearer steerage on model-based techniques engineering (MBSE), particularly for embedded software program techniques that require excessive ranges of certification and assurance.
As a part of ongoing work to deal with these challenges, SEI researchers contributed as panelists on the twenty second Annual Acquisition Analysis Symposium hosted by the Naval Postgraduate Faculty. We additionally offered the paper Synergizing the Software program Acquisition Pathway (SWP) With the Unified Structure Framework (UAF) For Operationalization. On this publish, we’ll introduce the ideas offered within the paper together with an outline of the SWP, UAF, the SEI MBSynergy challenge, and stroll by means of an instance associated to creating a Functionality Wants Assertion for the SWP program utilizing UAF.
A Deal with the Software program Acquisition Pathway
The SWP gives a tailor-made acquisition route for software-intensive techniques. Extra particularly, the SWP gives software-intensive growth applications with a streamlined path for creating and delivering software program functionality, emphasizing the usage of trendy software program growth strategies and instruments for delivering functionality quickly.
The SWP lifecycle is separated into two major phases:
- The Planning Section focuses on defining functionality wants, creating methods and roadmaps, establishing infrastructure, and designing system structure.
- The Execution Section entails software program growth, testing, supply, and worth evaluation, with steady consumer engagement.
The pathway helps numerous software program sorts, together with embedded software program, which was the main target of our examine. Embedded software program, typically built-in into weapon techniques, requires heightened scrutiny for security, cybersecurity, and operational effectiveness, making it a great candidate for MBSE utility.
As of the time of this publish, there are applications using the Software program Acquisition Pathway throughout all main departments of the DoW and related companies and the utilization of this pathway is rising in significance. A March 6, 2025, memo, Directing Fashionable Software program Acquisition to Maximize Lethality directs the DoW to undertake the Software program Acquisition Pathway as the popular pathway for all software program growth applications.
Advantages of an UAF-Based mostly MBSE Method
The UAF, developed by the Object Administration Group (OMG), is a standardized modeling language that advanced from frameworks like DoDAF, MoDAF, and NATO’s NAF. It gives a complete set of 89 mannequin views organized by stakeholder viewpoints (e.g., operational, safety) and modeling elements (e.g., processes, parameters).
UAF’s structured semantics and extensibility make it well-suited for MBSE in complicated protection environments. Nonetheless, its breadth may be overwhelming for brand spanking new customers. To handle this, the SEI examine leverages the UAF Area Meta Mannequin (DMM) model 1.2 and the Enterprise Structure Information for UAF to create a focused, scenario-based strategy tailor-made to the SWP.
The combination of UAF into the SWP presents a number of strategic benefits:
- enhanced traceability and digital threading. By structuring info in fashions, applications can set up sturdy digital threads that hyperlink necessities, design selections, and verification artifacts throughout the lifecycle.
- improved decision-making. Fashions allow early evaluation of tradeoffs, dangers, and high quality attributes, supporting extra knowledgeable and well timed selections.
- decreased documentation burden. Mannequin-based artifacts can substitute or increase conventional paperwork, streamlining compliance with statutory and regulatory necessities.
- better consistency and reusability. A standardized modeling strategy fosters consistency throughout applications and facilitates reuse of architectural patterns and companies.
- alignment with coverage and technique. The strategy straight helps DoDI 5000.97 and digital engineering methods from all army departments, positioning applications for long-term success.
Utilizing Eventualities to Inform Strategic Growth
A cohesive, well-designed technique is required to tell a constant digital engineering strategy and allow info fashions to be value-added and extra absolutely built-in into the software program growth course of. The SEI has developed a method for analyzing enterprise structure for the organizational worth of Digital Engineering and MBSE utilizing a scenario-based strategy.
The SEI’s MBSynergy challenge goals to equip DoW stakeholders with instruments and methodologies to judge the worth of MBSE. Drawing from the Structure Tradeoff Evaluation Methodology (ATAM), the challenge introduces a scenario-based modeling strategy to outline and analyze enterprise actions.
Every situation is structured as an enter/output course of involving particular stakeholders, triggers, and measurable high quality attributes. This construction allows an in depth evaluation of how MBSE contributes to efficiency, modifiability, availability, and different architectural qualities.
For the SWP, the SEI recognized 25 eventualities throughout the planning and execution phases. These eventualities are grouped underneath seven enduring duties depicted within the determine under.
Determine 1: MBSynergy Eventualities of the Software program Acquisition Pathwy The determine relies on views from SEI’s “MBSynergy for Software program Acquisition Pathway” mannequin that was developed utilizing Cameo Enterprise Structure.
The core contribution of the examine is the mapping of SWP actions to UAF views, remodeling document-based processes into structured, analyzable fashions. This mapping was facilitated by evaluating the knowledge necessities of SWP steerage paperwork with the specs of UAF views.
Defining Software program Pathway Eventualities
One illustrative situation is the event of the Functionality Wants Assertion (CNS) doc, a foundational doc required as a part of initiating the execution. Historically captured in a static Phrase template, the Functionality Wants Assertion contains sections on operational context, functionality wants, system structure, scope, methodologies, schedule, dangers, and useful resource planning. We selected the CNS because the featured situation as a result of it marks the primary artifact created underneath SWP processes, a foundational step that ensures steady traceability when embedded early in a digital mannequin all through the product lifecycle.
Within the model-based strategy, every part is translated into operational exercise actions, every producing particular UAF views. For example, see Determine 2:
Determine 2: Operational Course of Stream for Functionality Wants Assertion Definition. The determine relies on views from SEI’s “MBSynergy for Software program Acquisition Pathway” mannequin that was developed utilizing Cameo Enterprise Structure.
On this situation, 5 key areas have been translated into operational exercise actions, every producing a set of UAF views. There may be an extra abstract and overview. These views have been then in comparison with the knowledge described within the template to verify for alignment. The objective was to determine a minimal set of views that would meet the knowledge wants with out overwhelming mannequin architects and builders with too many specs.
Every operational exercise motion is supposed to be additional damaged down by particular person applications into detailed sub-activity course of flows. These flows assist make clear the precise roles and tasks of challenge personnel. The UAF view diagrams proven within the determine function examples to information how components needs to be modeled. Making certain consistency and readability is a prime precedence for making the fashions usable throughout all SWP customers.
The mannequin views that seize these foundational components of the CNS will stay traceable all through planning and execution, supporting design, growth, and worth assessments. This traceability strengthens the connection between early lifecycle info and what’s developed later, each inside a situation and throughout completely different eventualities.
To additional illustrate what this would possibly look in follow, the SEI is creating an instance Functionality Wants Assertion (CNS) utilizing UAF views to align its core parts in a model-based format. This instance will present how mannequin knowledge helps different eventualities, highlighting the advantages of improved traceability, reusability, and consistency in comparison with conventional document-based approaches.
Future Instructions and Collaboration Alternatives
The SEI’s examine represents a contributing step towards realizing the DoW’s imaginative and prescient for digital engineering. By mapping the Software program Acquisition Pathway to the Unified Structure Framework by means of a scenario-based strategy, the examine gives a sensible, scalable methodology for integrating MBSE into software program acquisition.
The SEI is actively looking for collaboration with DoW applications to pilot the UAF-based MBSE strategy and tackle different areas of curiosity regarding the usage of fashions as a part of the software program growth lifecycle together with
- steady mannequin growth alongside software program supply
- integration of AI and huge language fashions (LLMs) for mannequin technology and evaluation
- embedding UAF knowledge into software program manufacturing unit pipelines for automated choice assist
These initiatives purpose to additional operationalize digital engineering and display the tangible worth of MBSE in real-world acquisition contexts.
This model-centric technique not solely enhances compliance and traceability but in addition empowers applications to make higher selections, cut back danger, and ship higher-quality software program capabilities. Because the DoW continues to modernize its acquisition processes, the mixing of UAF and MBSE into the SWP presents a compelling blueprint for fulfillment.
The analysis was an output of the MBSynergy line challenge sponsored by the Workplace of the Below Secretary of Warfare for Analysis and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)).