UAF® Summit 2026

Leadership Spotlight: UAF Development Status & Roadmap

Dr. Aurelijus Morkevicius, MBSE Consulting Director, Dassault Systèmes
Laura Hart, Fellow, Lockheed Martin

This presentation offers an overview of the event, its organizers, and the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF). It explains UAF’s purpose, current adoption, and roadmap, highlights the upcoming features in UAF 1.3, and reviews the development status, major enhancements, and challenges of UAF V2. Additionally, it touches on related topics such as the OMG Model Based Acquisition (MBAcq) activities and UAF certification program.

KEYNOTE SESSION: UAF’s Role in Realizing the Acquisition Transformation Strategy
Daniel Hettema, Director of Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation (DEM&S), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E)

As defense acquisition transitions toward digital, data-centric, and mission-focused practices, the need for a consistent architectural foundation has become increasingly critical. The Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) provides a process-agnostic, standards-based approach that enables coherent mission capability planning, supports model-based acquisition, and improves cross-stakeholder communication through shared semantics and integrated viewpoints. This summit session explores how UAF can serve as a foundational enabler for the DoW Acquisition Transformation Strategy by strengthening the integration of architecture definition within capability planning and engineering workflows, while preserving the flexibility required for innovation.

The session will discuss ongoing efforts within DoW Research & Engineering (R&E) to drive broader adoption of UAF across the Department of War, needed to support emerging mission needs while maintaining long-term enterprise coherence improving collaboration across government, industry, and mission partners, leading to more effective, interoperable, and resilient acquisition outcomes.

The Mission Beyond the Ledger: Optimizing USMC Logistics by Unifying Cost, Technical, and Capability Views in UAF
Matthew Taylor, Engineering Fellow, MANTECH International
Richard “Larry” Day II, Assistant Program Manager, Engineering Logistics Integrated Information Solutions-Marine Corps (LI2S-MC), PEO MLB/PMW 230 Marine Corps Systems Command
Brian Wright, Enterprise Architect, MANTECH International

Managing the complexity of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) logistics portfolio requires more than documents and compliance-based diagrams; it demands a living, actionable architecture capable of driving critical roadmap decisions. This presentation outlines how Program Management for Logistics Integrated Information Solutions-Marine Corps (PM LI2S-MC) and MANTECH are leveraging the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) to transition from legacy processes to model-based portfolio optimization.

While budget often dictates constraints, the most effective portfolio decisions are made when based upon holistic knowledge of costs, the technical solution, and the delivered capabilities. We will demonstrate how LI2S-MC is integrating these complex domains into an unbiased, cohesive set of federated UAF modeling language models. These models contain Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), UAF, and fit-for-purpose views to answer high-level strategic questions regarding affordability, redundancy, and security. A primary focus will be our "Cost-per-Capability" approach, which maps financial data—structured via the Technology Business Management (TBM) taxonomy—directly to UAF capability and system elements. This method empowers leadership to visualize the financial weight of specific operational capabilities, facilitating unbiased, data-driven "retain, refactor, replace, or retire" decisions.

While budget often dictates constraints, the most effective portfolio decisions are made when based upon holistic knowledge of costs, the technical solution, and the delivered capabilities. We will demonstrate how LI2S-MC is integrating these complex domains into an unbiased, cohesive set of federated UAF modeling language models. These models contain Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), UAF, and fit-for-purpose views to answer high-level strategic questions regarding affordability, redundancy, and security. A primary focus will be our "Cost-per-Capability" approach, which maps financial data—structured via the Technology Business Management (TBM) taxonomy—directly to UAF capability and system elements. This method empowers leadership to visualize the financial weight of specific operational capabilities, facilitating unbiased, data-driven "retain, refactor, replace, or retire" decisions.

Bringing Balance to the Force: Overview of a Modeling Workflow and View Templates that facilitate Mission Archutecture Development
Kyle Evan Alvarez, Enterprise Systems Engineer, The Aerospace Corporation

Mission architecture models are a key enabler for mission engineering studies since they capture key entities, relationships and properties of the architecture. These mission architecture features are examined as various architecture alternatives are explored (with respect to the architecture baseline) that address the challenges in meeting mission objectives in a more efficient, effective and holistic manner. This presentation introduces a mission architecture modeling workflow with view templates for creating mission architecture views. Each view template in the workflow defines modeling conventions and expected contents of that view. The purpose of the workflow is to more efficiently create contents of a Mission Architecture Package (MAP) used in an overarching System of Systems Engineering (SOSE) process used by the US Space Force. The MAP balances the various concerns addressed by a holistic mission architecture, standardizes the contents of mission architecture models, and streamlines the train-ing process for new mission architects. The Mission Architecture workflow is based on the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) version 1.3 that provides standardized mission architecture views and associated mission modeling constructs.

Model-based Acquistion Pilot: Responding to a Digital RFP
Suzanne Dove, Associate Fellow, Lockheed Martin
Andrew Muxen, Fellow, MBSE, Advanced Systems and Architectures, Collins Aerospace
Michael Shearin, Branch Head, Digital Engineering Tools and Environments, Georgia Tech Research Institute
Paul Vaughan, NG Fellow, Northrop Grumman

The Model-Based Acquisition (MBAcq) pilot model, in development by the MBAcq User Group, features mission engineering artifacts and system design in the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF). Based on the familiar search and rescue system example, it is constructed in accordance with the MBAcq Concept Model. It exhibits the major elements of a digital RFP, including an air platform reference architecture, acquisition process guidance, domain overlays, examples of typical architecture evaluation criteria, an objective architecture description, mission threads developed using mission engineering principles, and a basic compliant solution architecture.

Zero Trust Compliance Using the Unified Architecture Framework
Ronald Kratzke, Chief Systems Engineer, UNCOMN LLC

Zero Trust (ZT) security is a new approach to information security built on the principles of “never trust, always verify”. This approach to information security practice is now being practiced in industry, government, and the Department of War (DoW). DoW published the Zero Trust Execution Roadmap, the ZT Strategy, and the ZT Capability Roadmap. Together these documents define an Operational Architecture to which organizations within the DoW must comply.

Every organization with DoW has been secured and protected using some assembly of commercial products, services, and procedures that are implemented and tailored for the unique operating environment of the organization/command.

With the publication of the ZT documents, each DoW organization is now required to show compliance with the published set of ZT Capabilities.

This presentation presents a method using UAF to advance the published operational architecture to create a derived resource architecture of the required to support for ZT strategy. Which allows for an evaluation of the currently instantiated security architecture against the necessary ZT architecture requirements.

The presentation will show the UAF language is suited for building down from a top-level to the resource level. And it will show how to evaluate instantiated / procured systems against the resource architecture to determine gaps that are not covered in comparison to the overall ZT strategic and operational requirements.

An MBSE/UAF Approach to Managing Complex Industrial Enterprise Architectures
Göran Tuomas, Leader Systems Analysis, LKAB

Large capital-intensive industrial enterprises, such as mining and process companies, must plan and execute long-term transformation programs under stringent technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory constraints. In many such organizations, information about systems, projects, and constraints remains fragmented across documents, spreadsheets, and local models, making it difficult to compare strategic alternatives and maintain a clear line of sight from strategy to implementation. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) have been proposed as ways to address these issues, but prior work also highlights substantial cultural, organizational, methodological, technical, and cybersecurity challenges when moving from document-centric to model-based practices.

This paper reports on a pragmatic, exploratory approach to testing and gradually adopting MBSE and UAF in a large industrial enterprise. Rather than prescribing a complete methodology, it describes how a combination of MBSE-based strategic analysis and UAF-based enterprise architecture modeling is being applied in an ongoing initiative to support long-term capacity and transformation decisions. The work simultaneously establishes an initial authoritative data basis for key model inputs and develops a tailored subset of UAF views that link strategic intent to operational concepts, assets, and projects.

Initial results indicate that this way of working improves transparency and consistency when comparing strategic alternatives, supports cross-functional dialogue, and begins to mitigate information fragmentation and security concerns. At the same time, the experience reveals gaps in model governance, tool integration, competency development, and quantitative evaluation. The paper concludes by discussing these remaining challenges and outlining directions for further research and industrial experimentation.

Bridging Architecture, Simulation, and Trade Studies for Decision Support
Ola Batarseh, Industry Process Consultant - Expert, Systèmes
Jose Garcia, Industry Process Senior Consultant, Dassault Systèmes

As enterprise and mission systems grow in complexity, development risk increases in the form of incompatible subsystems, late defect discovery, and costly rework. Architecture-driven digital engineering offers a path to manage this complexity by enabling early, traceable, and data-informed decision-making. Consistent with INCOSE Vision 2035, this presentation demonstrates how model-based systems engineering (MBSE), when integrated across disciplines and simulations, can directly support architecture-based decisions throughout the system lifecycle.

This presentation describes an architecture-centered approach that integrates Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) system views with multidisciplinary domain models using CATIA Magic/Cameo and the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform. System architecture models are treated as the authoritative context for specialized engineering models, enabling consistent interpretation of requirements, behaviors, and interfaces across domains.

Using 3DEXPERIENCE Process Composer, we demonstrate how UAF-aligned system architectures can be linked to executable simulations to support simulation-based verification of architectural requirements. This integration allows architectural assumptions and constraints to be evaluated earlier in the lifecycle, improving design confidence and reducing downstream risk.

The presentation further demonstrates how architecture-informed trade studies can be authored and executed directly leveraging the system architecture. By dynamically exploring the design space, multiple architectural options are assessed side-by-side against performance and mission-relevant KPIs. Results are visualized to expose trade-offs, highlight competing objectives, and identify when architectural changes are required to meet mission needs. By connecting UAF system views, simulation, and trade study execution within a cohesive digital engineering environment, this approach enables transparent, collaborative, and repeatable decision-making across enterprise stakeholders—bridging strategy, architecture, and system realization.

System Outputs, Emergent Properties, Biomimicry, UAF and Systems of Systems = Working Together to Achieve Better Outcomes
Matthew Hause, Principal, SSI
Rae Lewark, Ecologist - Sustainable Design

Systems, whether natural or engineered, exhibit emergent properties beyond the capabilities of their individual components. Engineered systems, designed for specific purposes, often produce unintended consequences due to linear design disregarding ecological principles. In contrast, natural systems operate circularly, optimizing inputs and outputs without waste. This inherent efficiency has allowed ecological systems to adapt and persist for billions of years. Modern challenges such as freshwater scarcity highlight the flaws in a linear approach. Desalination, though vital for addressing water scarcity, generates high energy demand and environmental degradation, disrupting marine ecosystems with brine waste. Using the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) his paper explores circularity in design and biomimicry as a transformative approach to redesign desalination systems. By integrating renewable energy sources and solar evaporation methods, and reframing brine as a molten salt battery source, a circular desalination system can address water scarcity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and repurpose waste. The proposed UAF design leverages ecological principles, emphasizing resource efficiency, provides for trade-off analysis and system resilience, and paves the way for future circular and biomimetic innovation in the desalination sector.