Software System Safety

What is it?

The application of rigorous methods and analyses to the software that controls hardware hazards. It typically requires application of system engineering, software engineering, and safety engineering principles, and brings the different engineering disciplines together to focus on how software affects the safety of the system. Software System Safety defines the safety requirements for software developers and assures the implementation and compliance with those requirements.

APT’s Software System Safety Process

A proven software safety program, this process is successfully applied to major DoD programs. APT supports customers with AMCOM Regulation 385-17 compliance and presentation to the Software System Safety Technical Review Panel (SSSTRP) for software fielding approval. This process includes the following steps:

  1. Safety Program Initiation, System Assessment, Safety Planning
  2. Identify System Hazards, Identify Software Functions (or Safety-Significant Software Functions)
  3. Execute the SwSS Program, Mitigate Software Hazard Causes
  4. Monitor Test, Verification & Validation
  5. Support Software/ Materiel Release, Assess Hazard Risk, Track Risks to Acceptance

Capabilities

  • Plan/implement software system safety programs
  • Perform and evaluate hazard analyses
  • Secretariat for software system safety working groups
  • Perform independent software safety assessments
  • Plan/implement software safety metrics program
  • Conduct software system safety training

Accomplishments

  • Providing software airworthiness input to MIL-HDBK-516 updatesƒƒ
  • Developed system safety management plans, system safety program plansƒƒ
  • Identified safety critical software functions and requirementsƒƒ
  • Performed independent software safety assessmentsƒƒ
  • Performed/analyzed hazard tracking dataƒƒ
  • Performed software safety analysesƒƒ
  • Prepared software safety metrics planƒƒ
  • Implemented software safety metrics program

Customers

  • Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD)
  • AMRDEC-SED
  • Textron
  • United Space Alliance
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Missile Defense Agency
  • iRobot

Programs

  • M299 Launcher
  • Hellfire
  • Griffin™
  • UAS Universal Ground Control System
  • UAS Ground Based Sense and Avoid System
  • NLOS-LS
  • WAH-64

  • Gladiator UGV
  • ABV UGV
  • CH-47
  • JLENS Aerostat
  • Sentinel
  • FCS UAS
  • JBC-P

APT Point of Contact

Jeff Richards, 256.327.3373
aptinfo@apt-research.com