Simulation & Modeling for Acquisition, Requirements, and Training

US Army Regulation 5–11 (AR 5-11) introduced the Simulation and Modeling for Acquisition, Requirements and Training (SMART) concept to more closely integrate the efforts of the Military Requirements, Military Acquisition, and Military Training communities through the use of modeling and simulation. Guidance on implementing SMART can be found on US Department of the Army Pamphlet 5–12 (DA Pam 5-12), the SMART Planning Guidelines (SPG), and the SMART Execution Plan. DA Pam 5–12 contains the following key items:

• Designates the Army Model and Simulation Executive Council (AMSEC) as the SMART proponent
• Assigns the Army Model and Simulation Office (AMSO) responsibility for publishing new DA Pamphlet 5-12
• Assigns the Army Model and Simulation Office (AMSO) responsibility for publishing and implementing the SMART Execution Plan

Key concepts associated with the SMART concept include:

• Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA)
• Model-Test-Model (MTM)

SMART was adopted by the US Army for the Future Combat Systems program.

History

The Director for Test Systems Engineering and Evaluation (DTSE&E), which was disestablished by Secretary of Defense on 7 June 1999 and part of its functions are now with the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), commissioned in 1995 a one year study completed in 1996 to assess the effectiveness of the use of M&S in the weapon systems acquisition and support processes. SMART has its origins on the DTSE&E study headed by Dr. Patricia Sanders.

The DTSE&E study developed a new approach to acquisition which is called Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA). Ellen M. Purdy, action officer within Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASA-RDA), was one of several people who analyzed Dr. Sanders' strategy and realized the significant effect such an approach would have on acquisition. The concept of SBA for the Army needed to be expanded to specifically include the acquisition, requirements, and training communities and thus became SMART.

The SMART concept as major US Army policy began with a letter dated 21 March 2000, addressed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Service secretaries, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; it is cosigned by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) and the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E): "We have stressed that we must make better use of modeling and simulation (M&S) to improve the acquisition process, reduce costs, enhance T&E [test and evaluation], and shorten development times for our. We are convinced that efficient use of M & S throughout the system life cycle will net great dividends in efficiencies."

See also

• Army Model and Simulation Executive Council
• Modeling and Simulation Coordination Office
• MSIAC
• NDIA