Revitalization of systems engineering in DoD: implications to product cost control

Defense AT&L, March-April, 2005 by Michael W. Wynne, Mark D. Schaeffer

Members come from across the full range of the defense contractor community, from largest systems integrators to smallest small businesses. We work with industry associations such as NDIA to share ideas, concerns, and best practices. We join with them in annual conferences, special-topic forums, and fact-finding reports. Partnering in systems engineering reinvigoration with industry is a key to program success. We believe program offices must set expectations regarding the sound application of systems engineering and work with contractors to comply with our new expectations. So far, we have had a positive response from our industry partners.

From Unique to the Norm

The goal of systems engineering is to see problems on the horizon so we can address them before they hit and potentially destroy a program. We will need everyone--at DoD and in industry--to drive systems engineering back into acquisition programs. It will be up to each and every one of you to implement our new policy and guidelines, as well as to apply the guidance appropriately to your program.

You are the people in the trenches. You are the people who will be held accountable. And you are the people who can make or break a program.

Just in case you were wondering how I define program success. Let me give you a wonderful example: Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Long Range Surveillance and Track Development and Deployment Team.

The team fully embraced systems engineering by successfully integrating a new capability into the Aegis weapon system that detects and tracks both long-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The system then reports that information to the nation's ballistic missile defense system. This was not a simple achievement. It was a Herculean effort made possible through a sound, disciplined systems engineering approach. It should come as no surprise to you that the Aegis Team was the 2004 winner of the Team NDIA Systems Engineering Award. That is what I expect from all our programs. I want to see that practice go from being unique to being the norm.

Wynne is the acting under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. Schaeffer serves in a dual capacity as the principal deputy, defense systems, and as the director, systems engineering in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

Comments and questions should be addressed to atl-ed@osd.mil.