DTIC ADA487807: The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition -- and an Example of U.S. Military Implementation

13 Pages·2.7 MB·English

by  Defense Technical Information Center

The Reality of SiTmUuTlaOtiRoInA-BLased Acquisition
THE REALITY OF
SIMULATION-BASED ACQUISITION
— AND AN EXAMPLE OF
U.S. MILITARY IMPLEMENTATION
Randy C. Zittel
Information technology is creating more realistic, more capable, and more
diversified simulation tools. These tools have been applied to a range of ongoing
product development programs with an increasing diversity of applications.
Phenomenal reductions in development time, life-cycle costs, and improved
system quality are reported from these new opportunities.
In contrast to simply networking more and more computers and software
together in ever-increasing capability, entirely new approaches are emerging.
One overarching approach within the Department of Defense (DoD) is
simulation-based acquisition (SBA). It is the proactive use of simulation and
information technologies to rapidly advance all elements of the product
development process. It is capturing more elements of industry every day and
has the potential to revolutionize product development all over again.
Here we will examine one powerful example of simulation-based acquisition
implementation in the American and British Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft Program.
N
atural market forces are driving all participation from industry, DoD has de-
industries to find better ways to fined SBA as “an acquisition process in
couple information technology and which DoD and industry are enabled by
thus improve business processes. Simu- robust, collaborative use of simulation
lation technology is a large part of this technology that is integrated across acqui-
revolution. The concept of SBA was begun sition phases and programs” (Modeling &
in DoD in 1996 as an initiative to capital- Simulation Acquisition Council [MSAC],
ize on the increasing integration of infor- 2000).
mation and simulation technology Literally hundreds of enterprises have
throughout business and product devel- documented improved performance: shor-
opment. In conjunction with major tened development schedules, reduced
121
Report Documentation Page Form Approved
OMB No. 0704-0188
Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington
VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it

does not display a currently valid OMB control number.
1. REPORT DATE 3. DATES COVERED
2001 2. REPORT TYPE 00-00-2001 to 00-00-2001
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition - And an Example of U.S.
5b. GRANT NUMBER
Military Implementation
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER
5e. TASK NUMBER
5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER
7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
Defense Systems Management College ,9820 Belvoir Road,Fort REPORT NUMBER
Belvoir,VA,22060-5565
9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S)
11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT
NUMBER(S)
12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Approved for public release; distribution unlimited
13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Acquisition Review Quarterly, Summer 2001
14. ABSTRACT

15. SUBJECT TERMS
16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF
ABSTRACT OF PAGES RESPONSIBLE PERSON
a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE Same as 12
unclassified unclassified unclassified Report (SAR)
Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)
Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18
Acquisition Review Quarterly — Summer 2001
cost, and improved system quality (Zittel, the complexity of advanced simulations
1999; Sanders, 1997). Reported improve- usually makes them a development project
ments include a 3000 percent reduction in themselves. As they integrate, are in-
in unique processes and a 50 percent re- terconnected, or use increases, the invest-
duction in overall development time. Such ment and applications become more ex-
significant improvements have naturally tensive and obviously more complicated.
stimulated the increased use of informa- The requirement to treat them as projects
tion and simulation technology to further supporting the primary development be-
reduce development and market costs. comes more vast and must be planned
Development programs in the U.S. and managed even more carefully.
military are increasingly implementing the
concepts of SBA, but to different degrees,
depending on how far along they are in WHAT IS SBA?
their development, when they started, and
how aggressively they are approaching the Table 1 shows the principles of SBA
concept. Many have been trailblazers — summarized from the recent policy state-
leading the greater use of information and ment released by the DoD MSAC, the ex-
simulation technology in new areas. This ecutive simulation policy-planning group
is one of the difficulties: to implement for the four military services (MSAC,
such technologies when they are mature 2000).
enough to be helpful, but not so mature as The SBA vision is to increase opportu-
to be obsolete and unsupportable. With in- nities for the Services to benefit from in-
formation technology, there is very little tegrated simulation technology. The prin-
gap between ciples are structured in relatively broad
these two ex- terms, with the application left to the spe-
“The SBA vision
tremes. Older cific opportunities of the project. With
is to increase
opportunities for programs are simulation technologies, the opportunities
the Services to frequently con- to improve dramatically the development
benefit from inte- strained by the (acquisition) process are a strong incen-
grated simulation need for con- tive. Second, specific opportunities of
technology.” siderable in- achieving earlier decisions across the sys-
vestment in ex- tems engineering structure of design,
isting (legacy) processes and supporting manufacturing, support, and utilization
tools, and it becomes an issue of how (employment) are expected. Third, the
much to change and when. The younger ability to improve system performance
programs can better implement newer with better balance of total life-cycle or
technology at lower cost and benefit im- ownership costs has been demonstrated,
mediately, with less updating of legacy but the need to establish digital standards
systems. This applies to all elements of across the simulations is fundamental.
information technology, but its use can be Fourth, simulation technology can now
expensive. If not planned properly, it can achieve concurrent multiple system evalu-
be far more expensive and time consum- ations throughout the intended utilization
ing than the more manual process, since range or mission area. Developing such
122
The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition
Table 1. Principles of SBA
• A dramatically improved acquisition process enabled by the application of
advanced information technology (IT).
(cid:127) Earlier and better informed decisions and reduced risk by more accurate
comprehensive assessments of design, manufacturing, support and
employment.
(cid:127) The early optimization of system performance versus total ownership cost
(TOC).
(cid:127) Lower TOC and standards-based reuse of information and software to
minimize their cost.
(cid:127) More optimal program investments enabled by system of systems mission
area assessments.
(cid:127) Enduring collaborative environments, reusable, interoperable tools and
supporting resources.
(cid:127) Automated near real-time sharing of relevant information among all person-
nel with a need to know (distributed product description, DPD) through a
common technical architecture; and open, preferably commercial, data
interchange standards.
tools while achieving more diverse and standards. The more they rely on the com-
extensive decisions requires better col- mercial standards, the more they will be
laboration of the massive and many types able to use the broader range of tools
of information, and this is achieved developed in response to the massive mar-
through reusability of simulations with ket forces of the digital age. With reduced
greater interoperability and capability. budgets but increased system complexity,
Finally, these technologies have achieved the military can no longer afford their own
such great advances in computing power unique one-of-a-kind tools, so commercial
that we can now make these better-in- technology is the only option.
formed decisions more quickly — that is, Figure 1 graphically shows the SBA
in near real time. This sharing of simula- process as an integration of information
tion benefits from a foundation of prod- and simulation technologies used through-
uct design information is called a distrib- out the systems engineering development
uted product description. It is well known processes. SBA is not a single stand-alone
how capable computer-aided design and new computer tool, but a tremendous blend-
manufacturing tools (CAD/CAM) have ing of previously stove-piped applications,
become (Zittel, 1999). These tools must along with new applications as the tech-
now be based on a common technical nology advances, and where beneficial, is
architecture using open data interchange integrated to benefit from a common data
123
Acquisition Review Quarterly — Summer 2001
aFrom Frost (1999).
Figure 1. Broad SBA Concepta
repository (distributed product descrip- They are massive simulations currently
tions). Although SBA is described by the being used in a specific application, which
principles listed earlier, it is very impor- can further benefit from more collective
tant to note that all such simulation tech- use, but specific increased synergism that
nology need not be integrated only into a can be defined, planned for, and used at
total collective. One major Army program the time needed in the development cycle.
is using more than 150 different simula- Increasing SBA implementation brings
tions across its parallel activities and serial increasing benefits — it’s not all or none
development life cycle. Some simulations and never static, but dynamically evolv-
are mini-projects in themselves, address- ing exponentially, with advancing digital
ing issues of test, design, system employ- technology. An extensive description of
ment, etc., across such a wide spectrum SBA, including obstacles and implemen-
that it would be impossible to make all tation potential, is documented in “A
fully interoperable. However, an increas- Roadmap for SBA,” from which the seven
ing number of simulations are being inte- principles were developed (Joint SBA
grated to work together. Such a group is Task Force [JSBATF], 1998).
called a federation. Furthermore, SBA is The report describes the variety of op-
not only achieved when all principles are portunities, as well as the many obstacles
fully accomplished, but is evolutionary in inherent in increased simulation
its move toward achieving more capabili- interoperability and connectivity. These
ties, since these are not building blocks. principles describe the need for careful
124
The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition
planning to identify where increased use today’s classical example. Only computer
of simulation is possible, what synergism, experts in narrow fields understand the
common database, and new uses can be speed in which their field is changing, but
sought. So, with many applications the business advantages are coming from
already achieved, but in a stove-piped all of these individual computer technolo-
fashion, the dimensions of planning in- gies changing, separately, collectively, and
crease to using older simulations with in near chaos.
newer applications, some for short-term This speed and our inability to capture
use, some for longer-term use, and some it has been described by various digital
for multiple uses. pioneers who forecast such changes. Such
forecasts predict computer processing
power is dou-
PLANNING IS EVERYTHING bling every 18
“The whole world
months; net-
is going digital,
Effective planning has become the work utility is
but suffering under
greatest requirement in using information increasing by this revolution
and simulation technology, with its con- the power of which violates all
tinuous upgrades, changing capabilities two; communi- of yesterday’s
and quick obsolescence. The whole world cations band- business and
is going digital, but suffering under this width for net- planning practices.”
revolution which violates all of yester- working and
day’s business and planning practices. data transfer is tripling; and, finally, new
Simulation technology is just information simulation applications are emerging by
technology applied to replicating the a power of four, all approximately every
physical world and its physical laws in- 18 months at constant cost. For these
stead of managing business information. reasons, we must have more effective,
(Of course, there are business simulations, dynamic, and proactive planning to
such as cost and risk models, which fol- capture these elements of a widening and
low economic laws instead of physical more diversified use of information
laws. And, some are integrated with physi- technologies.
cal simulations, so as to track cost when
materials change.) Information technolo-
gies are capable of doing this, but the work TYPICAL PROGRAMS USING SBA
culture, business practices, strategic plan-
ning procedures, and corporate and gov- Some development programs that are
ernment policies are hobbling faster implementing elements of SBA to differ-
implementation. The digital revolution is ent degrees and provide good examples
moving so fast that people can’t under- are the American-British Joint Strike
stand emerging opportunities fast enough Fighter (JSF) aircraft, Crusader advanced
to capture them before new opportunities self-propelled howitzer, Comanche recon-
emerge, preempting the technology just naissance and attack helicopter, Raptor F-
beginning to be understood. The speed 22 tactical fighter, Virginia-class attack
with which the Internet is evolving is submarine, Navy advanced amphibious
125
Acquisition Review Quarterly — Summer 2001
transport ship (LPD-17), the advanced easier, and accurately, and with more
amphibious assault vehicle, Apache attack purpose. This can only be achieved if the
helicopter, and the next-generation Navy following elements change as well:
warship (DD-21). Culture. There must exist an evolved
These programs are in different stages acquisition culture of people familiar with
of development, and therefore, in differ- the advancing tools, new capabilities, and
ent stages of SBA implementation. The opportunities to do things faster, easier,
F-22 and Comanche are well-established and in newer ways. This requires continu-
programs in final design, having begun ous education at the pace of the chosen
in the early 1980s. Their use must con- technologies.
sider older simulations more. Younger Process. An iterative design process
programs may have fewer legacy systems with faster electronic data exchange,
to consider, but earlier long-term plan- allowing for rapid evaluation of multiple
ning is now an opportunity for greater design options, must be in place. People
simulation opportunities. But, can they be must be able to do this effectively with the
plan-ned for, to the extent envisioned? technology provided, while continually
Only time will tell, as, young or old, each changing and evolving.
has been able to capture increasingly Environment. An integrated advanced
more information and simulation technol- engineering and management enterprise
ogy capability from their respective is essential. This requires collaborative
beginnings. distributed engineering and effective
In the same vein, commercial compa- seamless integration of the engineering
nies such as Boeing Commercial Aircraft, disciplines. It may require an informa-
Daimler-Chrysler Automobiles, IBM, tion data repository that achieves user-
Pfaltzgraff China, and Samsonite Luggage transparent web-style access (Frost, 1999).
are a few of thousands that have re-
sponded to market forces, promoting the
increasing development and incorporation PROVEN SIMULATIONS ARE
of better and better simulation-based tools. JUST THE BEGINNING
In this article we’ll focus on JSF
development to demonstrate SBA. As the separate applications improve,
so does the understanding, albeit at a
slower rate. Forward-thinking managers
SBA — NOT JUST TECHNOLOGY are moving in this direction to capture
more capability faster, and SBA is the
It can be seen from the SBA principles encompassing approach to it.
that SBA is not just technology. People,
policies, and processes must collectively
support this approach. It’s effectively THE JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
coupling those that will bring a greater
specific, defined benefit, enabling the The JSF Aircraft is one of the newest
designers, users, and supporting staffs to major programs in DoD, and for that
do more — exchanging information faster, reason, it has been designed specifically
126
The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition
The AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter sits ready to perform a QRF
(Quick Reaction Force)
to be an SBA pilot program. Because of many nontraditional approaches. To un-
the tremendous cost of building a com- derstand the far-reaching nature of this
pletely new aircraft, this program used departure is to understand what the JSF
127
Acquisition Review Quarterly — Summer 2001
must do. It was intended from the begin- built around user involvement and the
ning to evaluate cost against user perfor- ability to simulate the system, on a cam-
mance constantly and earlier than ever. It paign level, long before final requirements
is developing a family of aircraft to sup- were locked in. Each of these elements
port five military services, and probably required a tremendous amount of planning
is the last fighter aircraft ever to be built and implementation. Just keeping all the
in America. It is to be an immediate re- traditionalists from finalizing the require-
placement for three Navy carrier-capable ments was a major feat, and some claimed
aircraft, two Marine short-takeoff aircraft, a counter-productive one. But that is what
three Air Force aircraft, and is to replace JSF is all about — a dynamic develop-
the British Royal Navy Sea Harrier air- ment process that keeps the focus on life-
craft. This extensive list of aircraft capa- time affordability while achieving more
bility demands a complex ability to trade aircraft capability and battle management
off performance and cost in order to pro- information processing than ever before,
vide the most affordable aircraft in world and by a single pilot, with no second
history. electronics operator to assist.
Recognizing the massive set of require- JSF’s “continuum of modeling and
ments, a technology development program simulation (M&S) tools supporting the
was conducted beforehand to define and life cycle of weapon system” operate
advance special technologies essential for through a Delphi process, Quality Function
JSF. The entire management process was Deployment (QFD) analysis, constructive
(cid:6)(cid:3)(cid:4)"
(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)
(cid:4)#(cid:22)(cid:29)(cid:25)(cid:8)(cid:30)(cid:22)(cid:17)(cid:25) (cid:8)(cid:4)(cid:25)(cid:19)(cid:17)(cid:18)(cid:24)(cid:17)
(cid:15)(cid:25) (cid:8)(cid:12)(cid:31)(cid:8)!(cid:8)(cid:2)(cid:16)(cid:24)(cid:8)(cid:2)(cid:17)(cid:17)(cid:25)(cid:28)(cid:17)
(cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)
(cid:30)(cid:21)(cid:27)(cid:25)(cid:8)(cid:12)(cid:31)
(cid:10)(cid:15)(cid:1)(cid:3)
(cid:7)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:6) (cid:6)(cid:5)"(cid:13)(cid:8)(cid:12)(cid:18)(cid:29)$#(cid:16)(cid:28)
(cid:12)(cid:18)(cid:24)(cid:25)(cid:8)(cid:4)(cid:16)(cid:26)(cid:27)(cid:21)(cid:22)(cid:28)(cid:16)(cid:18)(cid:19)
(cid:7)(cid:4)(cid:10)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:8)(cid:4)(cid:29)(cid:25)(cid:19)(cid:22)(cid:24)(cid:16)(cid:18)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:19)(cid:28)(cid:25)(cid:24)(cid:22)(cid:29)(cid:28)(cid:16)(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:17)
(cid:7)(cid:6)(cid:2)(cid:4)(cid:4)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:8)(cid:1)(cid:4)(cid:2)(cid:6)(cid:4)
(cid:6)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:30)
(cid:2)(cid:10)(cid:6)(cid:4)(cid:4)(cid:11)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:2)(cid:15)
(cid:12)(cid:18)(cid:29)$#(cid:16)(cid:28)(cid:8)(cid:14)"%&(cid:8)(cid:15)(cid:22) (cid:22)(cid:24)(cid:8)!(cid:8)(cid:5)(cid:15)
(cid:6)(cid:16)(cid:17)(cid:17)(cid:16)(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:8)(cid:20)(cid:21)(cid:22)(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:16)(cid:19)(cid:23)
bFrom Faye (2000).
Figure 2. JSF Virtual Strike Warfare Environmentb
128
The Reality of Simulation-Based Acquisition
simulation, interactive digital simulations, so many C4I (command, control, com-
and virtual environments, ultimately lead- munication, computers, and intelli-
ing to flight testing, training, and then a gence) sources.
repeat of the process (Faye, 2000).
The JSF program carefully structured Around the central JIMM simulation,
its design process to use simulation at Figure 2 shows seven supporting simula-
every step to determine the next step, and tions, all necessary to achieve the massive
in more collective ways than ever before. amount of formerly disparate activities
This required dozens of new ways to use now intended to be handled by a single
simulations: more interconnected and machine.
better understood than before. To under- Joint Interaction Mission Model
stand these far-reaching opportunities, the (JIMM). This is the core simulation —
JSF virtual strike warfare environment basically all of the interactions from all
(VSWE) beautifully demonstrates the the other models run through here. It
power and complexity of SBA. VSWE is provides the mission scenarios.
an evolving interoperable collection of Extended Air Defense Simulation
simulations to allow for the balancing of (EADSIM). This simulation models the
different performance requirements in the friendly Command and Control (C2), in-
harshest man-made environment in the cluding elec-
world. tronic intelli-
“As the separate
Since the early 1990s, VSWE has gence aircraft,
applications
evolved into the interoperable series of u n m a n n e d
improve, so does
simulations shown in Figure 2. From a aerial vehicles the understanding,
central simulation which generates the with infrared albeit at a slower
joint information virtual scenarios, all and Radio Fre- rate.”
other simulations had to provide their vir- quency (RF)
tual representations to it, and respond to sensors, and communications networks. It
its activity. VSWE involves the complete processes that data into the JSF cockpit.
hierarchy of simulations, from engineer- Missile Defense Space Tool (MDST).
ing to campaign wargame simulations. This models the space-based infrared sat-
Virtual and constructive simulations are ellite system as another source of off-air-
involved to achieve a broad range of craft info. This information is sent to the
capabilities, including: EADSIM, fused together with the other
models’ information, and then sent into
(cid:127) broad wargame activities; the JSF aircraft.
Digital Integrated Air Defense Sys-
(cid:127) whether a group of JSF aircraft change tem (DIADS). The system models all
the battle as needed; and enemy C2 radars and assigns incoming
JSF going through this scenario to par-
(cid:127) man-in-the-loop applications to deter- ticular surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites,
mine whether a single pilot can handle as well as the SAM sites; their target
all the flying requirements while also tracking radars and the actual fly-out
managing the battle information from trajectories of those SAM missiles.
129