ENGINEERING SERVICES
Modeling, Simulation, & Analysis
SRA solves complex problems for clients through modeling, simulation, and analysis services. We provide a spectrum of services to clients in national defense, intelligence, healthcare and civil agencies to support sophisticated programs like airborne reconnaissance planning, virtual battlefield simulation, command and control, surveillance and telecommunications network modeling. Based on rigorous engineering principles and practices, we deliver the highest performance at the lowest cost. Our solutions address risk, quality, performance and cost by representing the effects of real-world activities.
Using simulation early in the design process, we can identify and correct design errors, mimic the operation of a real system and create virtual environments for training. Through modeling, we can represent systems and processes and analyze, test and modify them. Our analysts use the data generated from these activities to provide fresh insights that lead to objective, cost-effective decisions.
Our team of industry-leading experts has in-depth expertise in a wide array of subject domains and application areas. Using fundamental engineering principles and best-in-class modeling and simulation tools, they can tailor a solution to the problem under investigation. SRA’s modeling and simulation practice is a core capability and each diverse project team includes subject matter experts, system engineers, software engineers and analysts from across the company.
Benefits
- Lowers costs and mitigates risk by identifying problems before implementation
- Identifies and solves key system performance issues early in the design lifecycle
- Explores effects of modifications
- Helps balance trade-off decisions among performance, risk and cost
- Enables improvements to implementations
- Guides technology investment decisions
- Fine tunes architectural structures
- Identifies and quantifies interoperability issues
- Documents expected results
- Stimulates creative thinking
Services
- Business process modeling
- Decision support and program management
- Analysis and training, including computer- and Web-based education
- Simulation-based acquisition support
- Component- and system-level modeling
- Tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination systems
- Mission and engagement-level studies
- Evaluation of alternatives
Success Stories
- SRA provides systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA) support to the Air Staff and the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Agency to help plan and manage the Air Force DCGS Enterprise. This includes the one-of-a-kind Process, Exploit, Disseminate System (PEDS) model developed and sustained by SRA. PEDS is a fully executable model of the current Air Force DCGS enterprise. It enables analysis of various reconnaissance data flows, communications capacities, ground crew composition and other key components. The Air Force has used PEDS to support planning of DCGS involvement in Air Force ISR operations in both Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
- SRA has used modeling and simulation to conduct a detailed performance analysis of Link performance with and without Link 16 enhancements such as Flexible Access Secure Transfer (FAST) for the Air Force Electronic Systems Center. FAST brings next generation networking capabilities to platforms with Link 16 communications terminals. SRA evaluated FAST enhancements by conducting a detailed performance simulation of selected message transactions on a Link 16 network in a realistic operational scenario. The comparative performance evaluation, with and without FAST, aids the Air Force in identifying mission applications that would benefit the most from FAST.
- Using SRA’s models, the Air Force assesses system efficiency improvements, cost reductions and resource decisions for current and future reconnaissance systems. We successfully built, tested and analyzed models that simulate the flow of all forms of imagery, including electro-optical, infra-red, synthetic aperture radar, and moving target indicator (MTI) from airborne and space based systems. The results have been documented and are very effective in describing complex technical and operational exploitation issues.
- SRA is developing a Mid Air Collision Avoidance Assessment Tool (MARCAT®) to provide insight into the risks associated with UAV flight within the National Airspace System. MARCAT is intended to model and analyze potential midair collision scenarios and provide valuable information relating to collision avoidance technology and operations. Such analyses will help quantify the risk of UAV operations in the National Airspace System and lead to objective, cost-effective decisions concerning see-and-avoid technologies.
- SRA supports the Air Force’s 17th Training Group (17TRG). We provide a complete formal training unit for intelligence specialists who have completed their basic specialty qualification (Operational Intelligence, Imagery Intelligence, Signals Intelligence, etc.) and whose next assignment will be to an Air Force DCGS ground station. The Distributed Common Ground Station Formal Training Unit (DCGS FTU) demonstrates our experience in training and understanding the data used in the C4ISR system. SRA manages and maintains the use of the 17TRG’s Realistic Training Environment (RTE), a simulator that mimics the interchange between the intelligence sensor/platform and the various intelligence exploitation systems. It is a one-of-a-kind system and the only fielded environment of its kind.
Additionally, the RTE generates training scenarios and simulates Predator, U2, and High Altitude imagery and signal data by placing realistic order of battle (OB) depictions within images closely resembling the desired terrain. This FTU was started from scratch and has blossomed into developed coursework, certified trainers, Web-enabled class work and simulated systems of the entire DCGS system. Once the Warfighter has understood the C4ISR system, the Warfighter will need to test and evaluate all new components of the C4ISR system, and learn how to operate the system with the correct levels of effort.