US Department of Defense Modeling and Simulation: New Approaches and Initiatives

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Abstract:

In order to more effectively analyze strategic, force structure, and sys­tems choices associated with the national security environment of the 21st Century, the US Department of Defense is attempting to improve its approach to the devel­opment, management and application of Modeling and Simulation (M&S). It has established a new structure to oversee and integrate M&S activity and directed DoD communities to develop internal business plans to focus that effort. The Analysis Community has responded by identifying desired analytic M&S goals, measuring current capabilities, prioritizing capability gaps, and then outlining potential solu­tions. These activities are being captured as part of an analysis M&S business plan product and process. This paper notes that a key desired outcome is improved M&S to address three areas of particular concern: Irregular Warfare and the Global War on Terror; Stability, Security, Transition and Reconstruction operations; and Joint, Interagency, and Multinational operations. In these areas, the Department is seeking a broad, collaborative approach to engage interagency and allied partners in devel­oping and using new analytic approaches and tools.