General Dynamics’ [GD] modernization efforts for its Abrams tanks, Stryker vehicles and other products comprise more than just searching out good ideas, it’s working those ideas through an end-to-end process so the ideas emerge from the process as something ready to be implemented.
“Good engineering starts with a robust system engineering process,” said Sonya Sepahban, senior vice president Engineering Development and Technology for General Dynamics. “The focus at General Dynamics has been how to deliver on cost and on schedule.
It’s a process that allows the company to stay on top of technology advances. Thus even though the company in September received an eight-year $395 million Army contract for Abrams upgrades engineering, preparing for an engineering change proposal that wouldn’t kick in likely until 2017, the upgrades would still be advanced technology, not older, superseded technology (Defense Daily, Sept. 28).
“Central to our vision when we started the Maneuver Collaboration Center (mc²) was that we didn’t want just a technology center that gives up good ideas but without the follow through and practicality of what it takes” to get an upgrade or new system on a platform, she said. “We designed the facility and processes for end-to-end work.”
The mc² invites collaboration from all over the world. The center posts its needs in different technical areas and from there, General Dynamics starts evaluating the idea, technology or component, whatever it is. The technology next goes through a series of lab tests and integrated into models, simulations and even physically onto a platform. The mc² tests different capabilities so that by the time the evaluation is complete, applied technology is available, and if selected by the customer, would be ready for use.
General Dynamics’ history is of building very robust platforms, she said. “The Abrams platform over decades has evolved and kept up and modernized. The key to that is we have a very strong system engineering practice, in the way we do our designs here.”
The company does a very robust, whole system, balanced design with people, tools and data and runs “millions of combinations of how to put a vehicle together,” she said.
“We try to pick the most modular architectural approach, a skill the company is known for and values above all, and we have the people, processes and experience to do that,” Sepahban said. “What modular open architecture brings, even if the technology moves, is that one can easily swap out a (line replaceable unit) LRU.
The end-to-end process also allows planning for growth, and building margins in design to account for changes in size, weight, power and computing, she said.
As well, there are emerging standards to work against. “We engage and plan ahead to be compliant with those standards,” Sepahban said. “We must keep the modernization program on track. The longer it gets drawn out, the more there could be an issue with technology getting stale.”
Additionally, General Dynamics works hand in hand with the customer. For example, with the Double-V hull for Stryker vehicles to mitigate underbody blast.
“We were able to produce those about nine months after we got the contract. It points to the reason to do things quickly in support of the acquisition process. If you’ve done the system engineering and at the same time have a strong (internal research and development) IRAD, you’ll have pieces sitting on the shelf—good concepts taken far enough to significantly improve protection, so that when the Army defines that a Double-V hull is one of the best solutions, it can be taken up and applied when the need arises.
Other companies participate, engage and collaborate in the mc² ahead of the start of the acquisition process, she said. “So far it has been quite successful…it’s unique, I don’t know anyone else who is doing that.”
The company also has product roadmaps, trying to identify the current and emerging needs so when the customer is ready, the company has best solutions worked out. For example, the Double V hull had been developed to a certain point so that it didn’t take a long time to have ready, she said.
It’s easy to sign up for mc². Right now people from 30 countries around the world have signed up, she said. “I think more and more people are realizing they are part of the global world, and for the best products, must collaborate globally.”
“What we are trying to do, and this is central, we are not sacrificing the rigor of the process,” Sepahban said. “There’s a system engineering set of tools developed over decades.”
And because General Dynamics is a system integrator and is not vertically integrated it relies on its suppliers to identify good ideas. mc² gets the good ideas, a disciplined process evaluates how good the idea is, and if it makes sense for the customer from a business case perspective. “What we do that is different from the others is bring good ideas to reality on cost and on schedule.”