Analysis of the application of modeling and simulation within the Army Operational Test and Evaluation process in support of weapon systems acquisition.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the application of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) within the Army Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) process in support of weapon systems acquisition. This thesis considers the Army's current acquisition process, M&S technologies, infrastructure, and policies that guide the Program Manager (PM) in the application of modeling and simulation in operational testing. An analysis of the potential strengths and weaknesses of M&S in addressing OT&E issues is presented. Lessons learned from past OT&E efforts are analyzed for process improvement through M&S applications. The analysis indicates that M&S is a viable tool for assisting the PM in completing OT&E. M&S techniques can assist in test design validation, expand testing in areas of limited resources and environmental concerns, and validate live testing data. From this analysis, a set of recommendations are formulated, indicating where the PM can integrate M&S into the OT&E process