The software certification and approval process has long been a challenge in the development lifecycle. Recently, under the auspices of DARPA, Lockheed Martin began introducing technology poised to revolutionize the software approval process. This new solution called ArcCert, starts at program inception and automates many of the manual, tedious tasks involved in gathering and curating artifacts for presentation to certification authorities. By making certification-relevant artifacts available throughout the entire development process, ArcCert eliminates the last-minute, onerous documentation and review push. The ArcCert tool suite processes software artifacts to create Digital Assurance Cases (DACs) incrementally and continuously, running in parallel with LM Aeronautics software pipelines to automate data-item generation (evidence), integration, and to support review.

This presentation reports on ArcCert’s application to real industrial use cases and the preliminary results observed in production environments. In pilot projects, ArcCert has been deployed to support software certification against standards such as DO-178 and Mil-Hdbk-516. The tool has demonstrated the ability to ingest artifacts largely automatically, construct assurance cases, and provide real-time visibility into certification progress. Users report reductions in the time and eVort required to prepare for certification, along with improved collaboration and communication between development teams and certification authorities. The adaptability of ArcCert is also being explored in other disciplines, such as cyber and systems engineering. As the platform continues to be refined and expanded, it is expected to profoundly improve the eViciency and eVectiveness of certification processes across Lockheed Martin, reducing menial eVort and amplifying the human ability to assess readiness. In this presentation, we will also discuss some challenges and additional opportunities for innovation, especially as we introduce Artificial Intelligence as an enabler.

Stephen Traub is a Software Certification Specialist for Lockheed Martin with 39 years of experience in various aviation software roles. He has served as a software designer, tester, developer, manager, and software block upgrade manager. During his software career, Stephen managed several major development and modification programs for Lockheed Martin. For the past 25 years Stephen has also served as a Designated Engineering Representative (DER) representing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the ability to approve software for all criticality levels. In a DER capacity, Stephen led the conducting of ~100 software reviews and audits of Lockheed Martin software teams and Lockheed Martin software suppliers. He has supported a wide variety of commercial programs as well as military programs such as C-130J, C-5B, F-16, F-35, and US Navy shipboard systems. Stephen has experience with a wide variety of software systems, tools and languages and holds MBA from Kennesaw State University.

Mauricio Castillo-Effen is a Fellow at Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories (LM ATL), where he leads the research area in Trustworthy AI and Autonomy (TAA). His team focuses on developing solutions for deploying complex decision-making in high-criticality applications, collaborating closely with Lockheed Martin’s Business Areas to address challenges related to Verification, Validation, Test, Evaluation, and Certification. For over 20 years, he has served as Principal Investigator and contributor for multiple R&D programs funded by DARPA, AFRL, NASA, and DHS, advancing the fields of autonomy, assurance, and certification in the aerospace industry. He has a background in systems theory, control, and estimation, with extensive experience in robotics and transitioning technology to industry. He has also taught at multiple universities worldwide. He holds more than twenty patents in robotics, autonomy, and air transportation. Mauricio received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Florida and holds M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in EE, with a focus on controls.