Role of Effects-based Metrics in Advancing R&D Agility through Modelling and Simulation Based Exercises

While modelling and simulation technologies have been applied across the breadth and depth of military applications, such as concept development and experimentation, system and force structure design, training and operational decision-support, the perceived value of M&S technologies has seemingly focused on traditional measures of cost-effectiveness associated primarily with the consequence of early decisions on downstream lifecycle cost avoidance. The lack of extensive and rigorous side-by-side analysis of the validity of these assertions results in a reliance on anecdotal and subjective evidence which receives operational end-user acceptance when the results are intuitive. Unfortunately, this has yet to fully transform the role of M&S within the decision making process. A series of inter-related, M&S-focused activities within the Future Force Synthetic Environment Section of DRDC Ottawa Laboratory have begun to explore a metrics approach that recasts M&S value in terms of “effects-based ” outcomes. This on-going development has shown early potential as both a diagnostic and strategic measurement approach to address how the defence R&D community could increase its agility in response to evolving operational mission requirements through an M&S-based framework. A “utility ” metric is described which characterizes preliminary results of both a Live and Synthetic Environment (SE) based trial of a military operational scenario associated with littora