Bridging the Gap - Applying Performance Driven Aviation Technologies in Cost Driven Ground Platforms

The complexity of ground vehicle mission systems has evolved significantly over the last few years resulting in over-taxed platforms with federated mission suites. Department of Defense (DoD) is pursuing platform evolution toward integrated mission suites. Opportunities exist to apply aspects of previously developed methodologies from the aviation sector to ground platforms. This paper describes the parallels of the evolution of aviation platforms with the similarities to ground platforms. Solutions from the military aviation community will be discussed that could reduce development risks, schedules and costs and improve mission capabilities for ground applications. Specific discussion will be on opportunities and techniques to transition performance driven, high cost, low volume technologies into mission suitable and affordable high volume solutions. Discussion of the feedback opportunities into the aviation community will be addressed. This paper is not intended to be a tutorial on systems engineering but rather a stimulus for industry and the DoD to discuss commonality and design reuse opportunities between the ground and aviation communities resulting in a “system of systems” bridging aviation and ground solutions.