A methodology for developing timing constraints for the Ballistic Missile Defense System

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) is developing a Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) based on a layered defense that employs complementary sensors, weapons and C2 elements integrated by software into a system-of-systems to engage and destroy threat ballistic missiles through all phases of its flight. Inherent to the ultimate success of the BMDS will be the timely execution of the kill chain process against threat ballistic missiles. In this thesis we will apply the Unified Software Development Process, utilizing the BMDS as a case study, to investigate a means to identify and validate timing behaviors and constraints of system-of-systems. In particular, we will examine the information exchange needed for processors to share, collaborate, fuse, and distribute sensor information in a distributed sensor network and utilize modeling and simulation to provide insight into the timing aspects of interactions among subsystems comprising a system-of-system. The case study will involve deriving and documenting system and software requirements, developing a test-ready model for representing the timing requirements, and then validating this model through the use of an OMNET++ simulation. The simulation will then be used to provide feedback to further refine the system requirements and the functional specifications of the subsystems.