The RASSP integrated systems tool set provides a concurrent engineering environment for design trade-offs

The goal of the DARPA/Tri-Service-sponsored Rapid Prototyping of Application Specific Signal Processors (RASSP) program is to reduce development and manufacturing time and cost of signal processors by a factor of four. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) RASSP team has developed an integrated systems engineering tool set which forms the basis for a concurrent engineering design environment. This design environment, which consists of Ascent Logic's RDD-100, PRICE Systems parametric cost estimation models, and Management Sciences RAM-ILS tools, provides the integrated product development team with cost and reliability estimation data within a systems engineering tool. The concurrent engineering design environment is described and an example is provided which demonstrates the value of the tool integration within the design environment. This design environment enables the integrated product development team to estimate the life-cycle costs and reliability early in the design process.