Extending Systems Engineering for Safety-Critical Defence Applications

systems safety;systems engineering;standards;IEC 63187;IEC 61508;ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288

Defence sector applications are often characterized by a high level of complexity. ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 provides a common set of life cycle processes and terminology for engineering complex systems but its generic approach does not directly address the needs of safety-critical systems. In contrast, safety-specific standards like for example IEC 61508 provides a framework for functional safety, but does not address the complexity found in defence systems.