Contents

1. PYRAMID Programme

2. PYRAMID reference architecture

3. Exploitation and the PYRAMID Industry Advisory Group (IAG)

4. International alignment

5. PYRAMID documentation

6. Support for adoption

7. Contact us

PYRAMID Programme

The United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence (MOD) has recognised that mission systems software is becoming ever more complex and expensive to develop.

Technological advances mean software must be rapidly adapted to respond to evolving threats and capability needs. The UK MOD has developed a reusable and open avionics system reference architecture; applicable for both legacy and future air platforms. Known as PYRAMID, this approach will make upgrades more rapid and reduce software maintenance costs.

The PYRAMID programme introduces a paradigm shift to the current method of avionic systems design and maintenance. PYRAMID aims to make legacy and future air mission systems affordable, capable, and adaptable by adoption of an open systems architecture approach and systematic software re-use.

AChief key goal of the PYRAMIDAir programmeStaff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton’s ambition is tofor maximisePYRAMID adoption onacross bothall aof nationalour air platforms as an enabler towards achieving rapid adaptability and internationaleffective level.collaboration.

CAS To2023 achievereview this,and endorsement of the PYRAMID TechnicalProgramme

Video: StandardCAS 2023 Review and GuidanceEndorsement documentationof the PYRAMID Programme

An introduction to PYRAMID

Video: An Introduction to PYRAMID

The focus of the programme has been producedto fordevelop usethe bycore systemPYRAMID integratorsReference Architecture (PRA). Previously, mission systems software was bespoke to each air platform and was not designed to be compatible with the wider platform portfolio. PYRAMID aims to break this mould, allowing each software component suppliersto acrossbe industry,compatible andwith governmentother staffplatforms responsiblethat have adopted the PRA. PYRAMID is anticipated to provide significant benefits for both the acquisitionUK ofand PYRAMID-compliantour products.allies, including:

• rapid adaptability and capability evolution
• increased potential for re-use of software artefacts
• decreased integration times of new capabilities
• reduced impact of obsolescence
• enhanced collaboration with allies and partners

FindTo outrealise morethis abouthuge potential, the UK MOD has made a significant investment in PYRAMID. Sponsored by the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), PYRAMID programmeis a key element of the UK Combat Air Strategy. includingThe how2023 Defence Command Paper also recognises the importance of the adoption of Open Systems and PYRAMID. Defence Command Paper 2023: Defence’s response to requesta support.more contested and volatile world

PYRAMID

A Modelvision was developed for Exploiters

Thisthe modelPYRAMID programme to achieve these long-term aspirations. This was developedbroken usingdown MBSEinto techniquesfour usingdistinct areas: Adoption, Governance, Marketing and Promotion, Skills and their attributes. The PYRAMID Vision also provides a focus for the PTCPYRAMID IntegrityProgramme ModelerDelivery.

Adoption

• widely toolset.adopted Requestarchitecture this,of alongchoice withfor HTMLsoftware
• international Open System Architecture (OSA) alignment
• open and XMIcompetitive exports,marketplace
• adaptable and rapid response to threats
• reduced costs and time to deployment

Governance

• PYRAMID owned by emailingUK PYRAMID@mod.gov.uk
  MOD
• governed by a management agency led by UK MOD
• enables shared benefits and efficient certification
• controlled access to a digital support environment
• component proprietary to remain with developer

March

Marketing 2025and changes

• promote as best practise on a global scale
• work with selected international partners
• evidence-based demonstrations and successes

Skills

• sustainable pool of skilled engineers
• affordable training pipeline
• flexible engineering workforce

TheTo maximise exploitability, the PYRAMID documentationsolution has been restructureddesigned to helpbe:

• resilient meetagainst theobsolescence
• scalable
• flight requirementscertifiable
• security foraccreditable
• configurable
• provide PYRAMIDutility toacross becomethe afull UKrange Defenceof Standardair inmission future.
  requirements

PYRAMID Technicalreference Standard V1.0

DefinesUnderpinning PYRAMID is the PYRAMID Reference Architecture ((PRA) that was developed using rigorous Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) principles. The PRA) (comprisingis componentsa only)component-based architecture where the component definitions include roles, responsibilities, and provideswell-defined rulesinterfaces. forThe achievingPRA also includes compliance withrules to follow when building mission system deployments that cover the PYRAMIDfull Technicalrange Standard.of legacy and future aircraft types, roles and mission phases.

PYRAMID

ProvidesThe PRA, guidance onand howcompliance torules understandare documented in the ‘PYRAMID Exploiter’s Pack’ and applycan be found at the links in the PYRAMID TechnicalDocumentation Standard,section. includingThe associatedpack referenceprovides material,all suchthe asinformation examplesrequired when developing PYRAMID-based systems.

Alongside the PRA, the programme has de-risked the technical solution through the development and demonstration of use. KeyPYRAMID-compliant sectionsarchitectures withinand software components. The programme used the guidanceexpertise are:and experience of more than 200 system and software engineers; and, although led by BAE Systems, the team has included specialists from across the UK’s avionics industry.

• The first phase of the CESTIUS project that was won by GDUK following an open competition validated the openness and usability of PYRAMID. GDUK independently developed a component using the PYRAMID ConceptsExploiter’s (previouslyPack and collaborated with BAE Systems to successfully configure and integrate it into their PYRAMID Policies)demonstrator –system. This providesprovided an evaluation of the technical approach with GDUK acting as a rangecomponent supplier and BAE Systems the system integrator.

  Exploitation and the PYRAMID Industry Advisory Group (IAG)

  Delivering the benefits of conceptsPYRAMID requires effective exploitation across national and international acquisition programmes. The UK MOD are supporting this through the provision of training, targeted briefings, and engineering support. There are an increasing number of organisations that have beenundertaken consideredthe inPYRAMID training and are developing PYRAMID compliant software within their programmes.

  The second phase of the developmentCESTIUS project provided further validation of PYRAMID where GDUK re-engineered their Stores Management System using the PRAPYRAMID approach. This validation exercise has given the UK MOD and industry further assurance that relatethe PRA is mature and ready to be adopted but also can be applied to legacy systems and subsystems.

  UK industry established the PYRAMID Industry Advisory Group (IAG) to work together as an exploitation community, to discuss developments, and provide a single source of feedback to the PRA.

• InteractionUK ViewsMOD. –If illustrateyou howare ainterested setin joining this forum, please get in touch with us via the ‘contact us’ section at the bottom of componentsthe couldpage beand integratedwe will forward your request to achievethe IAG Chair.

  International alignment

  A key consideration has been ensuring that the systemPYRAMID behaviourapproach describedis byaligned awith particularthe scenario.

• Deploymentmodular Guideopen -systems providesinitiatives guidanceof toour engineerspartners onand whatallies.

  In support of this, collaborative programmes have been established with the US and across NATO to considershare wheninformation developingregarding our national approaches and projects, and this has demonstrated close alignment of strategies and approaches.

  More specifically, a joint demonstration activity between the UK and the US Army included the integration of a PYRAMID basedcomponent systeminto a US Army demonstrator and howa thisUS mayArmy comparesoftware tocomponent moreinto traditionala developmentPYRAMID processes.

• Compliancedemonstrator. GuideThis -showed discussesthat even where the goalexecution ofplatforms compliancewere different capability could be exchanged and providesintegrated supportingfar guidancemore materialrapidly inand relationeffectively than would have been the approach with traditional software approaches.

  Further to this, detailed analysis of the complianceFuture rules,Airborne includingCapability howEnvironment compliance(FACE) approach has shown that not only is PYRAMID compatible with FACE but the rulestwo mightapproaches beare achieved,complimentary; demonstrateda andvery assessed.

Change

PYRAMID documentation

ChangesA madekey goal of the PYRAMID programme is to maximise adoption on both a national and international level. To achieve this, the PYRAMID DocumentationExploiter’s sincePack has been produced for use by system integrators and component suppliers across industry; and government staff responsible for the previousacquisition releaseof (PYRAMIDPYRAMID-compliant products. The PYRAMID Exploiter’s Pack V4.1)Version are4.1 detailedmain in:document introduces and defines the scope of PYRAMID and includes several Annexes:

• PYRAMID TechnicalExploiter’s StandardPack V1.0version Version4.1 Annex A - PRA Description Document Issue- 1.0The –PRA focusesDescription onDocument details the PYRAMIDscope complianceof rules,the PRAarchitecture, the component composition,specifications, the policies of the architecture, and PRAexamples component(called set,Interaction asViews) wellof ashow anthe overviewcomponents could be connected together.
• PYRAMID Exploiter’s Pack version 4.1 Annex B - Deployment Guide - The Deployment Guide provides guidance to engineers on thewhat restructureto ofconsider thewhen developing a PYRAMID documentation.based system and how this may compare to more traditional development processes.
• PYRAMID TechnicalExploiter’s StandardPack Guidanceversion V1.04.1 VersionAnnex DescriptionC - DocumentCompliance IssueGuide 1.0- –The focusesCompliance onGuide provides the rules to be followed to achieve PYRAMID Conceptscompliance on a component level and on a deployment level; including methods and templates for reporting compliance.
• PYRAMID InteractionExploiter’s Views,Pack whichversion were4.1 previouslyAnnex partD of- Glossary - The Glossary provides definitions for terms used within the Exploiter’s Pack.
• PRA, asModel well- asThis anwas overviewdeveloped ofusing MBSE techniques using the restructurePTC ofIntegrity Modeler (now Windchill Modeller) toolset. This model is also available with the PYRAMID documentation.Exploiter’s Pack along with HTML and XMI exports. For  access please get in touch with us via the ‘contact us’ section at the bottom of the page.

Support for adoption

YouThe canPYRAMID stillprogramme access olderalso versionsoffers ofa query service via the PYRAMID documentationMailbox previouslyto availableaid onadoption. thisKnown page.