A method for controlling a system including a plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611, 612, 622, 632), comprising: a) receiving operational data from the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611,612, 622, 632) of the system; b) estimating a future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611, 612, 622, 632) from the received operational data, wherein the future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems is estimated using prognostic analysis by a plurality of distributed prognostic engines (52, 613, 631, 621) each disposed with a respective subset of said plurality of subsystems, wherein the prognostic analysis comprises: b1) constructing a health indicator for each subsystem based on combining multiple measurements of the operational data using an evolving self-organizing map algorithm, and b2) calculating a prediction of remaining useful life wherein: b3) on a condition the health indicator has no observable trend, the prediction is based on a function of instances when the health indicator exceeds a threshold over a predetermined period of time; and b4) on a condition that the health indicator has an increasing trend, the prediction is based on a continuous Bayesian update of a fault progression for parameters to a predicted performance deviation reaching a threshold; c) generating a control strategy for delaying a need for system maintenance based on the estimated future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611, 612, 622, 632); and d) controlling an operation of the system based on the generated control strategy. a) receiving operational data from the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611,612, 622, 632) of the system; b) estimating a future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611, 612, 622, 632) from the received operational data, wherein the future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems is estimated using prognostic analysis by a plurality of distributed prognostic engines (52, 613, 631, 621) each disposed with a respective subset of said plurality of subsystems, wherein the prognostic analysis comprises: b1) constructing a health indicator for each subsystem based on combining multiple measurements of the operational data using an evolving self-organizing map algorithm, and b2) calculating a prediction of remaining useful life wherein: b3) on a condition the health indicator has no observable trend, the prediction is based on a function of instances when the health indicator exceeds a threshold over a predetermined period of time; and b4) on a condition that the health indicator has an increasing trend, the prediction is based on a continuous Bayesian update of a fault progression for parameters to a predicted performance deviation reaching a threshold; b1) constructing a health indicator for each subsystem based on combining multiple measurements of the operational data using an evolving self-organizing map algorithm, and b2) calculating a prediction of remaining useful life wherein: b3) on a condition the health indicator has no observable trend, the prediction is based on a function of instances when the health indicator exceeds a threshold over a predetermined period of time; and b4) on a condition that the health indicator has an increasing trend, the prediction is based on a continuous Bayesian update of a fault progression for parameters to a predicted performance deviation reaching a threshold; c) generating a control strategy for delaying a need for system maintenance based on the estimated future condition of each of the plurality of subsystems (12, 13, 14, 51, 611, 612, 622, 632); and d) controlling an operation of the system based on the generated control strategy.