C

Glossary

Cybersecurity The protection of systems against attacks aimed at compromising integrity, confidentiality, or availability of operations and data, including during engineering processes and within supply chains.

Digital Ecosystem A collaborative digital environment that integrates models, engineering and system data, tools, and stakeholders to enable knowledge sharing, experimentation, and incremental adoption of digital capabilities.

Digital Engineering (DE) “An integrated digital approach that uses authoritative sources of system data and models as a continuum across disciplines to support life cycle activities from concept through disposal.”¹ Involves the use of digital methods, models, and tools across the life cycle of defense acquisition programs to support research, engineering, management, and sustainment activities, enabling seamless integration and collaboration.

Digital Materiel Management (DMM) An approach championed by the Air Force Materiel Command, ensuring critical processes employ digital methods across the entire life cycle—from invention to retirement—for warfighting and mission support capabilities.

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¹ Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering, 2018, Department of Defense Digital Engineering Strategy June 2018, https://ac.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/USA001603-18-DSD.pdf.

Digital Thread A linked set of digital models, data, and artifacts maintained throughout a system’s life cycle, providing an authoritative source of truth for design, production, sustainment, and operations. This enables seamless traceability of data, decisions, and artifacts across the entire life cycle of a system, from design and development through testing, fielding, operations, and sustainment.

Digital Transformation (DT) The comprehensive shift from traditional, document-centric approaches to integrated, model-centric digital methods that improve agility, decision making, consistency management, and performance across an enterprise.

Intellectual Property (IP) and Data Rights Principles and contract terms governing ownership, sharing, and access to data and IP generated or used in digital engineering and acquisition programs.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Quantitative measures used to assess progress, effectiveness, and impact of digital transformation initiatives and acquisition program execution.

Life-Cycle Phases “The evolution of a system, product, service, project or other human-made entity from conception through retirement.”² Inclusive of the stages in system development and sustainment: Materiel Solutions Analysis (MSA), Technology Maturity and Risk Reduction (TMRR), Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Production and Deployment (P&D), Operations and Support (O&S).

Mission Engineering “An interdisciplinary process encompassing the entire technical effort to analyze, design, and integrate current and emerging operational needs and capabilities to achieve desired mission outcomes.”³ Includes the process of analyzing and synthesizing mission impacts, architectures, and outcomes to guide system requirements and design decisions early in the life cycle.

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) An engineering approach emphasizing the use of digital models as a single source of truth for technical baselines, integrating data across all life-cycle stages. Inclusive of “a formalized application of

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² ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7, 2024, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-1:2024, International Organization for Standardization, International Electrotechnical Commission, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

³ Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mission Capabilities, 2023, “Department of Defense Mission Engineering Guide Version 2.0,” https://ac.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MEG_2_Oct2023.pdf.

modeling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.”⁴

Single Source of Truth A consistent, authoritative repository of engineering data and models that supports traceability and consistency management within baselines, reduces errors, and enables collaboration among stakeholders.

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⁴ Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, 2023, “Digital Engineering,” DoDI 5000.97, https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/500097p.PDF?ver=bePIqKXaLUTK_Iu5iTNREw%3D%3D.