Transforming Acquisition for Commercial Aerospace & Defense – a Model-Based Approach



The evolving business and technical challenges associated with the future of Aerospace and Defense systems require the implementation of innovative practices, tools, and technologies. Increasingly complex systems, organizations, and products coupled with budgetary constraints, strict regulatory standards, and ever-evolving threats highlight the need to adapt current practices. The future demands better knowledge transfer and retention to tackle system complexities and an aging work force, more efficient and collaborative ways of integrating different components and disciplines within and between organizations, and a rapid, on-time capitalization of innovative technologies to respond to threats.


Responding to these challenges and the current industry circumstances will require a transformation in the acquisition process, with digitally collaborative ways of working between DoD, Aerospace and Defense firms, and their suppliers. Traditional document-centric approaches will be abandoned in favor of connected and trusted, single-source-of-truth models, providing a “virtual twin”, “systems of systems” representation of future capabilities. A collaborative platform will be required to act as the “glue” between delivery partners. Many Aerospace and Defense organizations are already adopting these principles and methodologies and moving towards Model-based Acquisition.


The 3DEXPERIENCE platform is unique, enabling collaborative Model-based Acquisition and delivering the benefits required by Aerospace and Defense firms. We will discuss the advantages of a model-based approach, to include business benefits, and will address four key challenges in Model-based Acquisition:


  • Integrating Innovation: Bringing together expertise and enabling an organization to work as one enterprise

  • Optimizing Capability: Affording the ability to decide on the best solution

  • Improving Outcomes: Using the same connectivity to manage the complexity of execution

  • Maintaining Capability: Maintaining a dominant capability by assuming an embedded approach to systems engineering and technology insertion with the Digital Twin


For many Aerospace and Defense organizations, adopting a Model-Based Digital Enterprise has been vital to program success and part of a dramatic transformation in terms of thinking, culture, and ways of working. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform and Dassault Systèmes’ industry solutions are transforming how Aerospace and Defense does business and is facilitating a digital evolution towards Model-based Acquisition.


About the Speakers:


Aimee Futreal - Systems Engineer and Solution Architect - Dassault Systèmes

Aimee has over fifteen years of experience in Defense. An avid proponent of Model-Based Systems Engineering and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, she draws from her Navy acquisition experience to champion Dassault Systèmes’ industry solutions as an innovator of Model-Based Acquisition. Prior to joining Dassault, she was a Navy civilian Engineer in one of the first DoD programs (B-CAT I) to employ a model-based approach to acquisition, and preceding that she worked in the Naval shipbuilding and ship repair industry as an engineer for a variety of submarines, carriers, and surface combatants.



Rafael Alpizar - Aerospace and Defense Business Consultant - Dassault Systèmes

Rafael has experience in a variety of roles in both the commercial and defense segments of the industry. Leveraging his aerospace engineering, military, business, and technology management background, he supports Dassault Systèmes customers and partners by aligning technical solutions to Digital Transformation goals and strategic objectives. As an ardent supporter of model-based practices and concepts, he seeks to draw from his MOM, PLM, and MBSE experience to champion Dassault Systèmes innovative, model-based solutions as a way of addressing the increasingly complex A&D challenges of today.



Andrew Bonica - Senior Technical Executive - Dassault Systèmes

Andrew Bonica is a multi-disciplinary engineer and Marine Corps Veteran with over two decades of experience in Aerospace & Defense. Andrew is passionate about product design, model-based engineering, and moving the engineering world forward towards more efficient practices through digital transformation. Prior to joining Dassault Systèmes, Andrew was a DoD Civilian Systems Engineer at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (formerly SPAWAR) where he pioneered the Model-Based Enterprise engineering method and brought advanced & additive manufacturing into mainstream use.



This webinar is sponsored by Dassault Systèmes.