MENU

   C4I Home
   Center Overview

   C4I People

   Objectives
   Programs
   Funding & Support
   Industry Partners

   Publications
   Recordings

   C4I Events
   News

   Internet Conference

GMU C4I Center Seminar

---

Pre Milestone A and Early Phase Systems Engineering:
A Retrospective Review and Benefits for Future Air Force Acquisition

Dr. Robert Latiff
Chief Engineer and Technology Officer
Space and Geospatial Intelligence Business Unit
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Friday, February 15, 2008 at 2pm

Science & Technology II building, Room 320

ABSTRACT

Recent years have seen serious erosion in the ability of US forces to field new weapons systems quickly in response to changing threats, as well as a large increase in the cost of these weapons systems. Today, the military's programs for developing weapons systems take two to three times longer to move from program initiation to system deployment than they did 30 years ago. This slowdown has occurred during a period in which threats have been changing more rapidly than ever and when technology advances and accumulated experience have been accelerating rather than slowing the development process.

Many causes for this trend have been suggested, including increased complexity of the tasks and the systems involved from both technological and human/organizational perspectives, funding instability; loss of mission urgency after the Cold War; bureaucracy, which increases cost and schedule but not value; and the need to satisfy the demands of an increasingly diverse user community. Although the suggested causal factors have merit, a common view is that better systems engineering could help shorten the time required for development. The Committee on Pre-Milestone A Systems Engineering was tasked by the USAF to examine the role that systems engineering can play in addressing the root causes of program failure, especially during the pre-Milestone A and early phases of the program. Currently, few formal systems engineering processes are applied to Air Force development programs before Milestone A. About three quarters of total life-cycle system costs are influenced by decisions made before the end of concept refinement, while about three quarters of life cycle funds are not actually spent until after Milestone C, Production and Deployment. This means that although high quality systems engineering is necessary throughout the life-cycle, early application of the techniques is critical to avoiding or at least minimizing cost and schedule overruns later in the program.

The Committee's report presents an assessment of the relationship between systems engineering and program outcome; an examination of the systems engineering workforce; and an analysis of systems engineering processes that need to be accounted for in project development.

This presentation will summarize the Committee's report and will include examples from the speaker's career in military acquisition.

BIO

Dr. Robert H. Latiff is the Chief Engineer and Technology Officer, Space and Geospatial Intelligence Business Unit, Science Applications International (SAIC). He is a retired Major General, US Air Force. Dr Latiff establishes goals and investment plans for investments in advanced technology and insures application of sound engineering practice to product developments. As a career military technologist and acquisition officer, he directed a number of major systems developments such as the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS). His most recent military assignment was at the National Reconnaissance Office as the Deputy Director for Systems Engineering and as the Director, Advanced Systems and Technology. Dr Latiff is a member of the National Materials Advisory Board of the National research Council. He received his B.S. in physics and his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Notre Dame.