This paper describes Israel Aircraft (IAI) Efforts in improving the system engineering process. To put the subject in its right perspective, it provides first some background information about IAI and its engineering culture. The paper describes the Advanced System and Software Engineering Technology (ASSET) program, which started in 1992 as the Software Process Improvement Program (SPIP) and later expanded to include the System Process Improvement Program (SYSPIP).The paper describes system engineering processes improvement in four key areas: (1) system engineering process and in particular, the creation of a company-wide boiler-plate of the System Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) and its usage thereof in real live projects, (2) selection of system engineering database tools and the pilot projects using them, (3) the approach taken to improve system testing and finally, (4) system engineering training activities at IAI.

The paper concludes by sighting our lessons learned. The participation of personnel from both headquarter and divisions, the concentration of improvements in the most critical areas to the organization, the importance of the System Engineering Management Process Group (SEMPG) at the division level and the usage of pilot projects as a dissemination vehicles of concepts and methodologies. Last, but not least, it summarizes our training efforts based on our belief that preaching the SE gospels is effective if based on training and more training.