Fidelity Assessment within the REVVA Generic Process

The REVVA methodology, developed in the WEAG THALES Joint Program 11.20, provides a framework for verification and validation activities resulting in an acceptance recommendation for data, models and simulations. The core of the methodology is the decomposition of the 'intended purpose' into acceptability criteria (AC). The V&V effort focuses on determining whether these criteria are met. The AC are made quantifiable by Measures of Effectiveness, and through a further decomposition into Measures of Performance and Dimensional Properties. It often turns out to be a highly subjective effort to quantify the items of evidence underlying the various measures. Around the turn of the century SISO sponsored two study groups on a common fidelity definition and implementation. The work of these study groups resulted in two significant reports stressing the importance of fidelity definition and measurements within any VV&A process. Based upon this work, amongst others, TNO Defense, Safety and Security developed a methodology to systematically define, specify and measure simulation fidelity. This paper presents a practical approach how the TNO fidelity methodology can be used within the REVVA Generic Process to provide items of evidence that support the simulation validity and acceptability criteria. The approach is illustrated with some results and lessons learned from a practical case-study