Systems Engineering and Architecture
Systems Engineering and Architecture
Digital Engineering, Modeling and Simulation
DEM&S is responsible for advancing activities involving systems engineering, digital engineering (DE), and modeling and simulation (M&S). The team develops governing policies, advancing best practices, and enhancing workforce competency, as codified in the DoD Directive 5137.02, “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.”
Digital engineering must be the normal way to design and develop weapon systems. Together, DE and M&S are the means for the DoD to achieve the National Defense Strategy’s desired end state of delivering rapid capabilities to the warfighter.
DE and M&S optimize processes to automate the design, development, and integration of systems through collaborative environments such as a Digital Engineering Ecosystem (DEE). When models mature to the point of replicating the system, developers can design and integrate more frequently, while testing earlier, more often, and more thoroughly than with the traditional DoD acquisition process. By using DE and M&S practices, designers can detect system defects earlier in the development process, saving time and money and improving overall quality.
Digital Engineering
Digital engineering is a cutting-edge approach that uses authoritative sources of system data and models throughout the development and life of a system. Digital engineering harnesses computational technology, modeling, analytics, and data sciences to update traditional systems engineering practices. In the face of increasing global challenges and dynamic threat environments, digital engineering is a necessary practice to support acquisition.
Modeling and Simulation
The use of models and simulations in engineering is well recognized. Simulation technology is an essential tool for engineers in all application domains. A digital model represents an actual or conceptual system that involves physics, mathematics, or logical expressions. A simulation is a method for implementing a model over time. Together models and simulations allow the Department to vet potential requirements prior to the Request for Proposal release, assess engineering change orders or program upgrades, etc. M&S can be used to assess and optimize resource usage, examine process changes, support supply-chain management routing and inventory quantities, business decisions, etc.,
DoD Digital Engineering Strategy
The DoD Digital Engineering Strategy outlines five elements necessary for the digital engineering ecosystem to thrive. These are formalizing the development and use of models, providing an authoritative source of truth, incorporating technological innovation, establishing a supporting infrastructure and environment, and transforming the culture and workforce to adopt and support digital engineering.
Digital Engineering Body of Knowledge (DEBoK)
The DEBoK is an interactive knowledge base that provides referential resources for the implementation of Digital Engineering (DE) where stakeholders can quickly build solutions predicated upon a common knowledge base containing resources, data, contracting language, metrics, training, and ecosystems and tools in a controlled manner.
Communities
- Digital Engineering, Modeling and Simulation (DEM&S) Community of Practice (CoP): The Digital Engineering Community of Practice (DEM&S CoP) provides an environment for government, industry and academia to come together and discuss emerging trends, best practices, and real-world challenges in digital engineering and modeling and simulation. [Link to sub-page 6.1 DEMS CoP]
- Membership: DoD, Service leads, industry partners, academia, industrial associations
- Cvent: https://web.cvent.com/event/C7B84DE6-946B-4E48-BAC0-90084D6CA458/summary
- INCOSE Digital Engineering Information Exchange Working Group: The working group’s activities and products span the systems engineering lifecycle as it relates to Digital Engineering information inputs and outputs of ISO 15288 and 15289 digital artifacts. The working group supports the strategic objective of accelerating digital engineering adoption and the role of system engineers in this new paradigm.
Reports to Congress
Advancing Gaming, Exercising, Modeling, and Simulation (GEMS) Capabilities Brief to the House Committee on Armed Services:
This briefing contains current and contemplated efforts to invest in and improve GEMS innovation across the analytical community within the Department of Defense.
Status of Adoption and Implementation of Digital Engineering (DE) Infrastructure and Workforce Development Within the Department of Defense Brief to the House Committee on Armed Services:
This briefing addressed an update on DE infrastructure; workforce skill development; implementation of best practices from across the Department’s research and development ecosystem; efforts to increase adoption and improve the use of digital engineering across the Department and the defense industrial base; and funding provided across the Department for this effort.
Using Modeling and Simulation to Increase Speed to Market, Reduce Risk, and Foster Interoperability in the Industrial Base Brief to the House Committee on Armed Services:
This briefing addresses current and contemplated efforts to increase speed to market, reduce risk, and foster interoperability in the industrial base through the use of modeling and simulation. The briefing includes a discussion of ways to include artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies in these efforts.
Additional Resources
SysML v1 to SysML v2 Model Conversion Approach
Digital Engineering, Modeling and Simulation (DEM&S) Glossary includes a diverse set of vetted terms and definitions pertaining to DE and M&S.
Memorandum for Secretaries of the Military Departments, Subject: Digital Engineering Strategy
OUSD(R&E)’s approval of the Digital Engineering Strategy and highlighting the release as an important step forward in modernizing DoD engineering and acquisition practices.
DoD Digital Engineering Fundamentals
Eight fundamentals when implementing Digital Engineering and Modeling and Simulation.
50 simulation tools listed with a brief usage description.
Modeling and Simulation Related Standards and Best Practices Guide
This guide describes a set of M&S standards to effectively use M&S in support of DoD M&S activities. The guide supports M&S management, integration, coordination, and collaboration in developing M&S standards.
Gaming, Exercising, Modeling & Simulation Report
This report, written by the Defense Science Board Task Force, illustrates the importance of GEMS tools and capabilities for the Department’s future success and offers a series of recommendations that, if implemented, will set the Department on the right path.
Draft Digital Engineering Ecosystem requirements contract language considerations.
Digital Engineering Transformation Across the DoD
This paper sets the strategic direction for the digital engineering vision, in which five strategic goals are presented to guide DoD’s transformation efforts.
Defense Modeling and Simulation Reference Architecture
The DMSRA guides M&S capability development and leverages advances in information technology (IT).
Transition Planning Outline and Recommendations
Digital System Model (DSM) Data Taxonomy
Data Taxonomy provides the broad categories of data that should be considered across the lifecycle, and includes the evolution, modeling, benefits, and path forward.
Transforming Systems Engineering Through Digital Engineering
This article presents overviews of multiple SERC research tasks that cut across the five DoD DE goals.
This special issue provides an overview of three DASD(SE) engineering initiatives that are changing the way we innovate and operate; DE; CREATE; MOSA.
This paper describes the synergy of three major DoD efforts designed to address needs in the areas of acquisition program development and execution: the DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP); Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments program/the Engineered Resilient Systems program; and the DoD Digital Engineering vision.
Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A) Recommended Practices Guide (RPG)
[link to subpage 6.2, SEA-06.2-DEMS-RPG-v5-5May2023.docx]
Training and Education Resources
The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) provides many training courses, credentials, and webinars for Digital Engineering, Modeling and Simulation.
Digital Engineering Credential
DAU iCatalog and search on any topic to find numerous courses, webinars and other resources that are developed and sourced by DAU.
Definitions
The following definitions relating to digital engineering are drawn from the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS): Additional terms are available in the DEBoK glossary
Contact Us
For more information, contact osd-sea@mail.mil | Attn: DEM&S
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense,
Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E))
3030 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3030
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