Toward scaling model-based engineering for systems of systems

This paper describes an effort to improve the scalability of traditional model-based engineering (MBE) techniques for systems of systems (SoS) applications. On the one hand, the complexity and scale of many SoS suggest that model-based approaches can be an important tool for SoS engineering. On the other hand, this complexity and scale challenges the application of current model based approaches. Our work aims to lower the barrier to entry for complex enterprise-level SoS, to identify areas for MBE capability improvements to facilitate scalability, and to explore how new MBE methodologies could enable domain experts with little to no software background to start designing executable system architectures via MBE tools and software plugins. In addition, we discuss preliminary efforts developing scalable, network-theoretic SoS analysis methods that could address the combinatorial explosion associated with the analysis of SoS architecture alternatives to inform SoS design and evolution.