SBIR-STTR Award

Inefficiencies, errors, and oversights in current testing processes inflate the time and expense of government acceptance testing and can drive up the overall cost of acquisition of the training devices and delay the ready-for-training-date of the training system. To solve such problems, Virtual Simulation and Training Inc. (VSAT) will develop a standardized and automated approach to acceptance testing. VSAT will use the steps defined by the American Society of Quality. The first step is to define the problem by reviewing and documenting how the Navys Tests Process currently works, as well as its interface with the Systems Engineering Process. Next, VSAT will generate alternative solutions by determining a should be 0x9D model for the Test Process and using this target standard as the basis for developing a road map for investigating alternatives. Then, VSAT will evaluate and select alternatives to solve the problems. This will result in an improved, automated, efficient Test Process that more fully realizes the goals and intent of the Systems Engineering Process. The solutions must be acceptable to the Navy and their implementation must not cause other unanticipated problems. Finally, VSAT will work with the Navy to implement these solutions.

Benefit:
Virtual Simulation and Training Inc. (VSAT) will develop a standardized and automated approach to acceptance testing for the wide range of complex training systems planned for use in the Navy over the next decade. The standardized process will also be applicable to other military services and the commercial activities. Cost will be reduced; fielding of simulators will be accelerated.

Keywords:
simulator testing, simulator testing, process action team, simulator acceptance testing, automated tools, systems engineering, Acceptance testing

Acceptance testing is the primary means by which training devices are evaluated for compliance to the contract specifications. Through a process of verification, validation, and authentication the adequacy of performance is determined and deficiencies in system performance are identified and corrected. Inefficiencies, errors, and oversights in current testing processes inflate the time and expense of government acceptance testing and drives up the overall cost of acquisition of training devices. They can also delay the ready-for-training date for the system. Training system deficiencies that are not identified and corrected during testing have resulted in increased cost as well as reduced performance and training effectiveness. . In Phase II this SBIR Virtual Simulation and Training Inc. (VSAT) will complete the development of an innovative, cost and time efficient, approach for Military Aviator Simulator Test (MAST). MAST will be demonstrated using the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) flight training simulators. The objective is to provide the F-35 program with stand-alone tests that will allow the Navy team to perform their evaluations of the F-35 aviator training devices ensuring that all essential training and mission requirements are met.

Benefit:
VSATs MAST will expedite training device acceptance testing and result in improved acceptance by the Fleet. MAST builds on the Air Force Simulator Test 2000 process which saved more than 40 percent of the test time without compromising the test objectives. The key to this approach involved a rebalancing of government and contractor responsibilities. The government relied more heavily on aircrew evaluations and very little on re-running of the contractors detailed subsystem acceptance test procedures. Applying MAST to the F-35 Program will have a very large payoff in terms on simulator cost and concurrency. Improved concurrency may be the most significant payoff. Doing mission test, supported by MAST, will help in multiple areas of concurrency. The most obvious benefit is that when a training device completes testing several months early, it reaches the user earlier. This reduction in schedule time is multiplied by the number of F-35 aircraft configurations and training devices. MAST can also be commercialized and applied to numerous other simulators tests.

Keywords:
systems engineering, simulator testing, Military Simulator Acceptance Test (MAST), automated tools, simulator acceptance testing, acceptance testiing