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United States Navy and Marine Corps
Digital Systems Engineering Transformati on Strategy
2020
Washington, DC
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United States Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy
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The Department of the Navy (DON) embraces Digital Engineering as a means to maximize agility,
interoperability, reusability, and scalability across the DON. This Navy and Marine Corps Digital
Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy specifies activities necessary to enhance
engineering acquisition practices within our enterprise. Our strategy aligns with Department of
Defense Digital Engineering Strategy goals, shifts how we work from traditional document-centric
activities to digital-centric activities, and informs designers, developers, managers, and technical
authority stakeholders with continuous access to authoritative data.
Our Navy and Marine Corps teams have already started implementing digital approaches within
our activities and acquisition programs. We will expand those efforts, working with our industry
partners, to provide a standard of practice that delivers affordable, lethal capabilities to the
warfighter at the speed of relevance.
William P. Bray
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation
Forward
BRAY.WILLIAM
.P.1229068446
Digitally signed by
BRAY.WILLIAM.P.122906844
6
Date: 2020.06.10 08:36:40
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Foreword
The Department of the Navy (DON) must design, deliver, and sustain increasingly complex
system of systems, platforms, sensors, information and weapons that are responsive to rapidly
changing operational and threat environments, and must do so under increasingly restrictive
budgets and aggressive delivery schedules. This Digital Systems Engineering Transformation
Strategy provides the approach the United States Navy and Marine Corps will pursue to achieve
this objective.
In June 2018, the Department of Defense (DoD) released their Digital Engineering Strategy,
intended to guide the planning, development, and implementation of digital transformation
across the military services. The DoD Digital Engineering Strategy offered five strategic goals
which, when taken together, constitute “what” is necessary to foster the use of Digital
Engineering practices. The DoD Digital Engineering Strategy also stated that the military
services must develop the “how” -- the steps necessary to apply Digital Engineering as a timely
imperative. This document details the DON response, describing our vision, goals, processes,
and delegated actions to implement Digital Engineering within the US Navy and Marine Corps.
The rate of commercial technological change, combined with global connectivity, exponentially
improving computational speed, and software-based digital control systems allows allies and
adversaries alike to innovate very quickly. The rate of innovation has broad and significant
implications regarding maintaining military advantages, technical superiority, and superior
decision speed. Our job as scientists, engineers, program managers, analysts and technicians
supporting naval acquisition is to provide our customers with that decisive material and decision
advantage. Any capability gaps identified by fleet campaign assessments will also require a
distributed and connected maritime network solution across programmatic requirements.
This Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy shifts the
practice of systems engineering from traditional document-centric activities to digital-centric
activities. It supports common application across the Navy and Marine Corps, and encompasses
provision and access to digital models and data applied in a Model-based Systems Engineering
approach in order to improve the understanding, quality, consistency and timely delivery of
warfighter capability across all domains, and across all stages of the program lifecycle.
Military research was formative in the invention, integration, and use of digital technologies, so
using digital tools to conduct engineering is not new to our workforce or our industry partners.
However, change does not come without challenges. Leadership advocacy, changes in business
and acquisition practices, workforce training, and provision of data models and tools in secure,
accessible environments will be necessary in order to succeed.
Foreword
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Foreword .............................................................................................................................. 3
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. 4
References ............................................................................................................................ 5
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 6
Background ........................................................................................................................... 8
Goals ................................................................................................................................... 10
Governance ......................................................................................................................... 18
Next Steps ........................................................................................................................... 20
Business Case ...................................................................................................................... 23
Table of Contents
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References
This document supports 2018 Navy Strategy to “build a more lethal force” and to “reform the
Department for greater performance and affordability”. It also aligns with National Defense
Strategy objectives to “continuously deliver performance at affordability and speed as we
change the Department’s mindset, culture and management systems”, to “adopt our culture and
processes to achieve a step change in lethality, affordability and velocity” and to “establish
architecture superiority.” Furthermore, this document aligns with the Chief of Naval Operations
Guidance and Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority 2.0 to “share data across the force
and effectively leverage that increased awareness,” “enhance operational capability whenever
and wherever possible”, and “as technology moves faster and as more tools become available,
make sure that we can get things done.”
This Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy authored
within the offices of the Acquisition Executive of the Navy, addresses the approach to the
assessment, analysis, design, development, modeling and simulation, configuration management,
testing, and delivery of acquisition program capabilities for both the Navy and Marine Corps.
This Naval Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy is one part of naval digital
strategies to evolve our workforce, processes and practices for improved modernization,
upgradeability, and effect.
Related Policy
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Executive Summary
The Department of the Navy (DON) must change in order to improve how it delivers timely and
effective capability to our warfighters. This requires altering how the DON designs, develops,
validates, delivers, operates and sustains warfighting systems. This is not a choice; it is an
imperative requiring immediacy and a sense of urgency. In support of that imperative, we
choose to implement a Digital Engineering Strategy.
Current engineering and acquisition processes do not suit the complexity, interconnectivity, and
interoperability of modern warfare systems. Whereas past systems often were mechanical-based
designs with few cross-system interfaces, modern systems implement software control systems
with multiple interfaces supporting network-centric warfare tactics and strategies. The dynamic
nature of military operations, and the increasingly complex systems performing it, compel rapid
transition away from past practices of manually assimilating vast amounts of document-centric
data and toward a digital data-centric approach.
This US Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy is
intended to transform systems engineering capabilities by using common, composable,
interactive, model-based systems to store and exchange data, models, and information within and
across programs. Digital Engineering uses models and authoritative data to coordinate and
integrate all disciplines and phases of work for the life cycle of a platform or system. Digital
Engineering allows engineers and leaders to better understand and assess complex choices,
automates requirements traceability to achieve design satisfaction, and supports timely decision-
making through integration, automation, visualization, and high performance computing.
Specific objectives of this Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy, which aligns
with the Defense Digital Engineering Strategy, June 2018, are:
OBJECTIVE 1 – Formalize the development, integration and use of models
This objective will be coordinated with the Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the
Marine Corps and the Naval Chief Information Office in consonance with their digital
transformation plans. Immediate tasks include identifying where to implement models for near-
term acquisition program efficiency, improved systems interoperability, operational effectiveness
and cost savings. Primary goals are to provide integrated, networked, upgradeable capability to
the fleet faster, and to build an enduring research and development infrastructure that will enable
future digital capability across the enterprise.
OBJECTIVE 2 – Provide an enduring authoritative knowledge source
This objective will establish a single, accessible, authoritative source of knowledge.
“Knowledge” is inclusive of data, models, engineering information, capabilities, requirements,
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and allocations of functions to existing programs of record or to emerging science & technology
efforts. It also includes an enduring historical record of investment and prior technical decisions.
Knowledge is accessed and used by all team members to develop, design, and validate
operational capabilities, connecting disparate data sources within a common data framework.
The vision for this knowledge source includes secure access and use by Navy, Marine Corps, and
industry partners, using both unclassified and classified networks.
OBJECTIVE 3 – Incorporate technological innovation to improve the engineering practice
This objective will institutionalize, expand, and accelerate the use of Digital Engineering to
support computational analysis of numerous alternatives early in the design process, and to
enable greater speed and utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in
software development, deployment and sustainment. This enables near-real-time application
software revisions, while maintaining appropriate authority to operate (ATO) and configuration
control.
OBJECTIVE 4 – Establish the supporting infrastructure and environments for the Digital
Engineering practice
This objective will modernize and connect digital environments readily available across the
research and development enterprise. The digital environment must support secure system
modeling, design, development, and live, virtual and constructive simulation and testing.
Accomplishment will require connecting users across a high bandwidth network, linking the
government workforce to tools, data and test venues across the enterprise, providing a digital
environment necessary to perform the engineering business of the Navy and Marine Corps.
OBJECTIVE 5 – Transform the culture and workforce to adopt and support Digital
Engineering across the lifecycle
Digital Engineering is a paradigm shift requiring new skills, proficiency, knowledge, and
practice across the engineering competency, as well as other supporting technical and acquisition
functions. Leadership must provide the tools, processes, methods, training and the connective,
collaborative environment necessary for Digital Engineering to succeed. They must also
coordinate development and training of personnel with timely application of acquired skills in
support of program priorities. This will accelerate delivery of benefit, support continued
application of new skills, and prevent atrophy through lack of use.
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Background
Engineers devise and deliver solutions to problems. Systems engineers coordinate and integrate
teams, comprised of performers across varied technical disciplines, to deliver solutions while
addressing challenges dealing with increased system complexity. As desired or required
capabilities become more challenging, and as the number of potential solutions increases,
systems engineers need tools to help them solve complex problems more quickly.
Digital Engineering is key to managing the development and delivery of increasingly complex
and interconnected warfighting systems and desired capabilities. Historically, the DON systems
engineering process has been document-centric, focused on individual program performance
specifications and multiple program contract documents. Digital Engineering supports adoption
of a new culture that uses digital models to analyze, design, test, produce, field, and sustain
capabilities. The use of digital models supports early communication between technical
disciplines. Development of the digital model(s) is a focused priority, and the performance
specification, acquisition documentation, and other
data artifacts are the result of the solutions identified by
the modeling process. This approach will be more
dynamic, more comprehensive, and will reduce the
time and effort required to create recurring
documentation. It also helps reduce the number of
formal contract deliverables and accelerates the
acquisition process.
Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is formalized application of modeling to support
system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation activities. Applying MBSE
enables a better understanding of all aspects of capability development and system behaviors
before generating the performance specification.
Digital models have the potential to provide multiple
integrated, linked, and related views at the subsystem,
system, and system of systems levels. The integration
of these views within the digital environment allows for
a comprehensive and automated evaluation, which can
identify inconsistencies or gaps in the model and
rapidly assess impacts and mitigation options when
changes are first considered.
Background
Definitions
Model Based Systems Engineering (INCOSE) –
Formalized application of modeling to
support system requirements design,
analysis, verification and validation,
beginning in the conceptual design phase
and continuing through development and
later life cycle phases
Definitions
Digital Engineering (Navy) - An integrated,
computation-based approach that uses
authoritative sources of system data and
models across disciplines to support lifecycle
activities from concept through disposal
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Additional benefits of Digital Engineering include creation and use of a single authoritative
knowledge source within the digital environment. This authoritative knowledge source captures
information from multiple inputs, which are integrated to form the system view. This approach
ensures completeness and consistency of design data throughout the development, procurement,
and sustainment life cycle.
“The pace of change also demands that we design ships with modernization in
mind. The “core” of those future ships - the hull, and the propulsion and
power plants - will likely be built to last for decades. To leave room for future
modernization, we should buy as much power capacity as we can afford. On
top of that hull and power plant, we must plan from the outset to modernize
the “punch” -- the combat systems, sensors, and payloads -- at the speed that
technological advances allow.”
- CNO ADM John Richardson, “The Future Navy”, May 2017
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Goals
The overarching goal is to migrate from a document-centric engineering approach to a Digital
Engineering-centric approach, and to realize gains in effectiveness, interoperability, and future
upgradeability of Naval Acquisition Systems. One objective is to provide an Integrated
Modeling Environment (IME) that supports collaboration regarding their engineering approach,
technical processes, and use of models and data formats across all Navy and Marine Corps
System Commands.
As shown in Figure 1, this change affects the people, processes, products, policies, tools, and
organizations that provide engineering services to achieve the Naval Vision 2020. It also calls
for use of an authoritative knowledge repository accessible to all stakeholders to ensure the use
of correct, updated, and authoritative information throughout the life cycle by participants.
Figure 1 – Naval Enterprise Integrated Modeling Environment
Goals
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OBJECTIVE 1 – Formalize the development, integration and use of models
Digital Engineering compels that we first understand system behavior and identify supporting
system functions, including allocation of those functions to component systems and subsystems
through modeling, prior to establishing acquisition performance requirements. The focus is upon
allowing the performance specification as a resulting output of the modeling process, rather than
writing the performance specification first.
As shown in Figure 2, the transition from a document-centric approach to a digitally-centric
approach will allow us to:
• Trace allocated system requirements to validated stakeholder mission capabilities
• Model system functional behavior(s) required to accomplish desired capabilities
• Generate a functional system hierarchy directly from the model
• Develop performance requirements for each functional element with consideration for
external constraints such as programmatic, safety, cyber and security requirements imposed
by statutes, regulations, standards and policy
• Develop verification requirements for each performance requirement, including system of
systems interoperability requirements
• Review, monitor, assess, and approve system and program compliance using the Digital
Engineering framework
Figure 2 – Model-Based Approach to Systems Engineering Accomplishment
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Naval Systems Commands exercise delegated Technical Authority, which is the responsibility
and accountability to establish, monitor and approve technical standards, tools, and processes,
and certify Navy and Marine Corps system and program compliance with approved architecture
tools and policies. Technical Authority responsibilities under Digital Engineering will not
change, but the methods required to analyze design, assess risk, and report non-compliance to
decision makers and program authorities will need to evolve.
OBJECTIVE 2 – Provide an enduring authoritative knowledge source
A critical element to executing the Digital Engineering is the approach for publishing, storing,
curating, tagging, and securing data and models so that they are discoverable, available,
trustable, and ready to use when needed by authorized personnel. Engineers and other personnel
have a need to access authoritative data and models, to maintain its integrity, and to perform their
designated roles as performers, reviewers or approvers as delegated under Technical Authority.
Models must be available from any stakeholder’s network, based upon secure, controlled, and
consistent access and authorization rights. Data and models must be common and
understandable, using appropriate metadata, semantics, and syntax. Data and models must also
be available, have well-defined and well-controlled interfaces, use clear classification and
control markings, and recorded retention rules.
OBJECTIVE 3 – Incorporate technological innovation to improve the engineering practice
The end-to-end digital enterprise will incorporate a model-based approach in a connected
environment in order to conduct full lifecycle activities from concept to disposal. Digital
Engineering is an effective way to increase understanding, convey complex concepts, complete
effective system integration, reduce testing time, and support effective decision-making. It also
reduces the risk of designing to bad requirements and facilitates reusability and knowledge
transfer using an authoritative knowledge source.
As the fleet missions become more complex and involve more systems of systems, the need to
understand the full scope of all capabilities, requirements and integration paths for each system
through development, design, production, deployment and sustainment becomes more important.
As shown in Figure 3, Digital Engineering provides this full understanding from inception to
disposal, thru use of an Authoritative Data Source of Reference. Digital Engineering also enables
rapid and informed trades regarding new missions or insertion of innovative capabilities,
providing confidence in integrity and consistency of function to all affected systems.
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Figure 3 – Role of Digital Models connecting System of Systems Analysis, Standards, and
Model Based Systems Engineering
Digital models are useful for more than design, construction, and rapid technology insertion.
Building a Digital Engineering portfolio early, and maintaining it for the life of the program,
supports improved manufacturability, reduced maintenance and higher operational availability.
As shown in Figure 4, creation of an accurate model helps ensure supplies and repair parts are
appropriately considered and properly provisioned, maximizing operational availability and fleet
readiness.
Extended lifespans and inevitable mission changes means platforms and systems often require
modifications in order to respond to new contingencies. Use of digital models can help reduce
resources expended on expensive, one-of-a-kind mock-ups, or incorrect implementation of
design changes. A high fidelity digital model can also determine whether current maintenance
and support facilities are still acceptable. If not, existing facilities can be modified, or new
facilities provided, to be ready when needed.
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Digital Engineering also allows for efficient introduction of upgrades and product improvements.
Using a Digital Engineering approach, the feasibility of upgrades can be determined quickly,
prototypes created rapidly, and modifications installed with fewer initial errors.
Figure 4 – Digital Engineering Role in Sustainment and Enhancing A
o
OBJECTIVE 4 – Establish the supporting infrastructure and environments for the Digital
Engineering practice
An integrated modeling environment (IME) must be established to support Digital Engineering
objectives. The IME must be data-centric, provide high bandwidth and throughput, be accessible
from multiple networks, and be fully aligned with the Naval Digital Data and Analysis Strategy.
Key tools sets must be provided within the IME to support MBSE processes using Systems
Modeling Language (SysML) and Unified Modeling Language (UML). Tool and model users
must be able to interact with the government at the model level to support design, configuration
management, requirements management, and the creation and satisfaction of Contract Data
Requirements List (CDRL) items. Unambiguous authentication policies will be required to
ensure only properly vetted and cleared personnel have access to the modeling environment. All
individuals and activities accessing the IME must be tracked and logged to support security
requirements and maintenance of data pedigree.
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Anticipated uses of a Naval Digital Engineering IME includes access to MBSE systems models,
platform models, operational threads and webs, and cyber models. These models should be
available to perform mission engineering, systems conceptual design, modeling, simulation and
analysis, all phases of the systems engineering acquisition, and test and evaluation enabled by
live-virtual constructive builds.
The Naval Digital Engineering IME should be present at classified and unclassified security
levels to support the full scope of Navy and Marine Corps acquisition programs, sustainment
efforts, and engineering workforce superior performance. Appropriate security tagging of data
elements is required throughout the IME infrastructure. As Security Classification Guides and
data compilation policies are established, the Digital Engineering environment must implement
guidance in an automated manner.
OBJECTIVE 5 – Transform the culture and workforce to adopt and support Digital
Engineering across the lifecycle
Implementing Digital Engineering is a change management function. Therefore, it requires
concerted leadership planning, support, and consistent effort to succeed. Equipping our
workforce with relevant skills and experience is a prerequisite to adopting and supporting Digital
Engineering across the lifecycle. Moving to a Digital Engineering environment will likely result
in new types of positions needed to implement Digital Engineering across DON. Our proposed
approach to transforming the Digital Engineering workforce requires combined efforts in
personnel recruitment, development and training.
We must identify appropriate roles of Naval employees involved in Digital Engineering and
MBSE, as well as the training required to support each role. Training is required in a timely and
effective manner so that acquired skills do not atrophy prior to use. Currently identified sets of
modeling communities of practice include:
• Model Developers, Users, and Architects
• Model Based Systems Engineers
• Modeling Administrators, Configuration Managers, Curators, and Facilitators, and
Verification, Validation and Accreditation (VV&A) Subject Matter Experts
• Systems/Project Owners, Project Leads, Technical Subject Matter Experts
The Naval Systems Commands and their engineering activities have already developed some
courses, but expect to develop a full curriculum supporting training, development and
sustainment of a model-centric workforce for all required skill areas and required skill levels.
Courses implemented to date are:
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• MBSE and SysML 101- A week-long course which targets modelers and architects who
will regularly perform modeling but do not currently have a comprehensive grasp of
SysML. This course instructs participants on the three main building blocks of MBSE;
language, tools, processes and techniques. The course also describes benefits of moving
from the document based-paradigm to MBSE, and highlights support of systems
engineering processes. Additionally, the course provides in-depth introduction to SysML
application MagicDraw™.
• MBSE Fundamentals course – This half-day course provides a high level overview of
MBSE intended for Project Owners, Program Managers, Technical Directors,
Supervisors, and other personnel indirectly involved with effective use of models.
The Naval Postgraduate School will integrate MBSE into its resident Master of Science in
Systems Engineering curriculum starting in 2019, using SysML design tools and application
within core coursework for five classes.
Additionally, specialized training supporting software development is required for some Digital
Engineering roles:
• Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Cloud and DevSecOps Training
• DAU Information Assurance Manager Level 1, DoD 8570.01-M
• Certification for Cloud Computing professionals (e.g. CompTIA™ Cloud Essentials,
Amazon™ Web Services, Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft Azure™ for Information
Technology Professionals)
The Naval Air Systems Command has conducted an internally funded strategic initiative called
the Systems Engineering Transformation (SET) Initiative, piloted at their Aircraft Division. The
SET Initiative established an organizational construct, shown in Figure 5. Other Systems
Commands plan to leverage SET lessons-learned in support of Navy and Marine Corps Digital
Engineering implementation.
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Figure 5 – Systems Engineering Transformation (SET) Implementation Plan
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Governance
The Navy and Marine Corps will use an existing, mature technical oversight structure provided
by the Systems Engineering Stakeholders Group (SESG) to collaborate and to determine
technical requirements for implementing digital transformation. Figure 6 depicts the SESG
membership. Leadership consists of the Chief Engineers (CHENGs) from each Systems
Command, as well as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development Test
and Evaluation (DASN (RDT&E)). Other key stakeholders include resource sponsors for the
Navy and Marine Corps, the Naval Postgraduate School, the United States Naval Academy, and
Program Executive Office for Strategic Systems Programs (PEO SSP).
Figure 6 – Naval Digital Engineering Governance and Cross-SYSCOM Collaboration
by Chief Engineers (CHENGs)
Governance
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This governance structure implements the Digital Engineering transformation at the collaborative
SYSCOM level, under the Technical Authority (TA) of the CHENGs.
Cross-SYSCOM Working Groups established under the SESG will support implementation of
the Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy at the
Corporate, SYSCOM, or domain level. Appropriate use of models and tools will be codified by
the Technical Authority as metrics, and will be used as Objective Quality Evidence at technical
reviews. Areas for further discussion include: digital standards, tools, and processes; workforce
skills and training; model validation; data validation; model schemas; model sustainment
requirements; and dictionaries, term definitions, and ontology.
Program offices play a critical role in digital transformation, are central to managing digital
expectations, and are essential to its success. Both government and industry engineering
activities must highlight potential cost, schedule, and performance improvements realized under
a Digital Engineering approach to the Program Manager before they commit to an acquisition
strategy. Program offices must also be encouraged to use digital deliverables in place of paper
documentation, prioritize funding in support of digital efforts for new acquisition initiatives and
major product improvements, and make smart decisions regarding implementation of Digital
Engineering for contracts in place. The Program Office team will need to understand which
data and intellectual property rights the government must retain and which can be satisfied with
government purpose rights, and properly balance requirements with available funding.
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Next Steps
OBJECTIVE 1 – Formalize the development, integration and use of models
1.1 Use digital approaches to deliver immediate and long-term competitive advantage in
operations and readiness with Naval acquisition programs
1.1.1 Implement Digital Engineering for all new Naval acquisition programs, and
significant modifications or enhancements to existing sustainment programs, under
direction of the Milestone Decision Authority or delegated Program Decision Authority
1.1.2 Implement Digital Engineering for legacy programs and non-acquisition programs as
soon as possible as determined by the Program Executive Offices and SYSCOM
Commanders, who have been tasked to identify programs that can be “digitized”
1.1.3 Implement Digital Engineering across programs and domains utilizing the Digital
Warfare Office /Naval Digital Integration Support Cell, formed to address cross-program
integration and interoperability roles and responsibilities. The Digital Integration Support
Cell will provide the core environment, services, and expertise to successfully support and
scale digital and data initiatives taking place throughout the DON
1.2 Scale results from pilot projects across mission areas
1.2.1 Implement across common programs and systems, incorporating lessons learned
1.2.2 Collaborate with industry and other services to capture best practices
1.3 Implement and maintain mission-level models within an integrated modeling environment
to support programs and capabilities across mission areas
1.4 Incorporate institutional changes through requirements, resourcing, and acquisition policy,
prioritizing and implementing digital approaches within naval acquisition and sustainment
programs
OBJECTIVE 2 – Provide an enduring authoritative knowledge source
2.1 Develop an authoritative knowledge source for accessing the models, data, standards, and
strategies, used to implement the digital transformation; the authoritative knowledge source will
include reference libraries, reference models, process models, physical models, and other items
needed to perform Digital Engineering
2.1.1 Implement an authoritative knowledge source that is accessible from any stakeholder
network
2.1.2 Provide required (multi-point) authentication for access and separation of project data
and information for both government, industry, and other acquisition partners accessing the
authoritative knowledge source from their networks
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2.2 Establish a configuration management policy for maintaining the authoritative knowledge
source and technical baselines
2.2.1 Establish a standard set of configuration management processes for models, as used
and shared throughout their lifecycle
2.2.2 Provide a set of standard Digital Engineering tools that are accessible via the same
networks
2.2.3 Create, share and manage a common ontology and lexicon as a reference dictionary
2.3 Identify a Digital configuration management champion (Data Curator) to manage, oversee
and map efforts related to data and digital transformation
2.3.1 Establish technical procedures for developing and maintaining models
2.3.2 Review and approve data architectures, data standards, and data-related aspects of
program plans as part of the requirements and acquisition process
2.4 Establish and share best practices for the development and assessment of data architectures,
data standards and data strategies
2.5 Identify common reference models for use across the Naval enterprise, for acquisition,
technical analysis and development efforts
2.6 Establish combined and clear security guidelines for modeling capabilities, tasks, functions,
gaps, allocation to programs, and program specifics
OBJECTIVE 3 – Incorporate technological innovation to improve the engineering practice.
3.1 Implement agile, user-centered approaches to design, develop, test, certify, field, train, and
sustain rapid, responsive, and reliable digital capabilities
3.2 Implement processes and metrics to clearly determine mission outcomes, produce and
prioritize options for digital solutions, scope pilot projects, and scale digital solutions
3.3 Utilize system models for objective quality evidence for Systems Engineering Technical
Reviews (SETRs). Establish model maturity metrics for use in SETR events. Automate checks
as much as possible
3.4 Leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies that learn, adapt, and act
autonomously
3.5 Establish a system of systems meta-model for the development of the rules, constraints,
models, and theories applicable across a set of systems
3.6 Ensure data is readily available by leveraging technologies that provide for an
environment where computing, storage, and networking resources are logically separated from
physical locations, and are managed by software, through a web-based interface
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OBJECTIVE 4 – Establish the supporting infrastructure and environments for the Digital
Engineering practice.
4.1 Identify and modify Systems Command Technical Authority and associated documentation
to incorporate Digital Engineering and design and integration principles
4.2 Implement integrated live, virtual and constructive environments to support the design,
development, testing, certification, fielding, and training of integrated capabilities in a time-
effective and cost-effective manner, based on desired mission capability outcomes
4.3 Create a common Naval Development Secure Operations (DevSecOps) environment where
the Navy, Marine Corps, and their partners can prototype, test, refine, and deploy algorithms,
analytic tools and solutions based on data and user feedback to improve warfighting and
readiness outcomes
OBJECTIVE 5 – Transform the culture and workforce to adopt and support Digital
Engineering across the lifecycle
5.1 Develop and promulgate guides for professionals who execute Digital Engineering and
MBSE
5.1.1 Create and make broadly available a standard suite of MBSE tools that include a
requirements management framework, schema and templates, an integrated dictionary, file
exchange formats and data guides
5.1.2 Create modeling style guides shared across SYSCOMs and Program Offices, as well
as our industry partners
5.2 Foster development of the MBSE and Digital Engineering workforce
5.2.1 Establish and assess competencies that require Digital Engineering skills and training
5.2.2 Establish training for a Digital Engineering skilled and proficient workforce,
providing for retooling of the workforce in order to maintain subject matter expertise
5.2.3 Establish communities of interest where people can share lessons learned, discuss
issues, and pose questions when executing Digital Engineering
5.2.4 Participate in community forums outside the Naval and DoD enterprise to capture
best practices, drive standards development, and support common government-industry
engineering approaches and best practices
5.3 Use Leadership Forums, program reviews and public affairs resources to foster a positive
Digital Engineering campaign ; identify gains and share success stories regarding new efforts
United States Navy and Marine Corps Digital Systems Engineering Transformation Strategy
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.
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Business Case
The Navy and Marine Corps have funded ad-hoc digital-related engineering evolutionary efforts
for decades. However, concerted funding to accelerate the implementation of the authoritative
knowledge source, establish the tools and training environments, and transform our engineering
processes and authorities are necessary to catalyze the return on investment.
Digital Engineering will be applied within pilot efforts in order to deliver lethal and sustainable
effects sooner, improve decision-making agility, deliver system of systems capabilities more
affordably, and spread best practices across the engineering and acquisition workforce. We
expect Digital Engineering to yield savings on current and future programs over the systems life
cycle by enabling future expandability and upgradeability with less rework, streamlining
sustainment practices and reducing required material inventories. We will identify the right
amount of centralized funding to lead development of enterprise solutions, which will benefit the
entire Navy and Marine Corps acquisition workforce, taking advantage of economies of scale
concerning the purchase of tools and tool licenses.
Results of this strategy will help inform future investment decisions in future execution years
toward greater interoperability systems and architectures. Future program plans and budgets
should emphasize wise places to implement Digital Engineering in order to realize time and cost
savings, test sooner, provide capability to the fleet faster, and build the infrastructure to enable
future digital capabilities.
Business Case
