Which approach integrates modeling and simulation across functional disciplines throughout the acquisition process?

Which approach integrates modeling and simulation across functional disciplines throughout the acquisition process?

• A. Virtual prototyping
• B. Simulation Based Acquisition
• C. Developmental Test (DT)
• D. OSD Comptroller

Answer: (B)

Simulation Based Acquisition combines modeling and simulation across engineering, logistics, cost, and program management to inform decisions at every stage of the acquisition life cycle. It creates an integrated set of models and simulations that represent the system, its environment, and how it will perform, allowing trade studies on performance, cost, and schedule before committing to physical prototypes or fielding. This digital, cross-disciplinary approach supports early risk identification, requirement validation, and affordability analysis by linking design, analysis, testing, and sustainment data into a single decision-support framework. Virtual prototyping is a useful tool within this broader approach, but the overall method is the application of modeling and simulation across the entire acquisition process. Developmental Test focuses on testing the system, and the OSD Comptroller handles budgeting, neither of which capture the cross-disciplinary, lifecycle decision-support role of Simulation Based Acquisition.

Simulation Based Acquisition combines modeling and simulation across engineering, logistics, cost, and program management to inform decisions at every stage of the acquisition life cycle. It creates an integrated set of models and simulations that represent the system, its environment, and how it will perform, allowing trade studies on performance, cost, and schedule before committing to physical prototypes or fielding. This digital, cross-disciplinary approach supports early risk identification, requirement validation, and affordability analysis by linking design, analysis, testing, and sustainment data into a single decision-support framework. Virtual prototyping is a useful tool within this broader approach, but the overall method is the application of modeling and simulation across the entire acquisition process. Developmental Test focuses on testing the system, and the OSD Comptroller handles budgeting, neither of which capture the cross-disciplinary, lifecycle decision-support role of Simulation Based Acquisition.