My Take: Beyond the Buzzword – MANTECH’s Vision for Digital Triplets in the Cyber-Physical World

Digital twinning. It’s a term you hear everywhere, and frankly, if you ask five different people what it means, you’ll likely get five different answers. At MANTECH, we’ve moved beyond just “digital twins” because we see a more comprehensive picture – what we call digital triplets.

For us, it’s a three-part understanding: the virtual twin, the digital twin, and the physical asset. Think of it like slices of a pie. The virtual twin is the aspiration, the digital representation of what a system could be, whether before it’s even built or as we envision future enhancements for new missions.

Then you have the digital twin, which takes that virtualization and connects it to near real-time data flowing directly from the physical asset. This live data stream is where the real power lies, allowing us to conduct deep data analysis based on our virtual models, simulations and what’s actually happening in the field. And of course, the physical asset itself is the operational entity, constantly evolving as it’s used for its intended purpose.

But here’s what I truly believe sets MANTECH apart. We’re leveraging our deep cyber heritage to look at digital twins – or rather, our digital triplets – in a fundamentally different way. We’re not just focused on the process or behavioral aspects of how the virtual relates to the physical. We’re examining the cyber-physical world.

What does that mean? It means understanding how the physical environment impacts the cyber domain, and equally, how cyber effects ripple through and alter the physical world. To truly grasp this complex interplay, we’ve invested in a unique platform: the CPSTN (https://www.mantech.com/focus-areas/cpstn/). This marries software-defined infrastructures with powerful modeling and simulation frameworks, like those from our partners at Software Defined Data Center (SDDC).

This allows us to visualize what’s happening within the ones and zeros of cyberspace and the very networks that underpin our physical assets in critical missions. Suddenly, we can assess system-of-system capabilities and identify vulnerabilities not just in isolation, but in the intricate dance between the cyber and physical realms. This integrated view is crucial as we plan and evaluate systems within the demanding design reference missions they’ll face.

For MANTECH, digital twinning is more than just a trendy concept. It’s about understanding the interconnectedness of the virtual, the digital, and the physical, especially within the critical cyber-physical landscape. It’s about leveraging our unique cyber expertise to provide a deeper, more insightful understanding for our clients.