Modeling and simulation in systems engineering: Whither simulation based acquisition?

Simulation and modeling are major assets in the engineering of systems of all types. This two-part series addresses the much expanded role for M&S that is due to the prospect that evolutionary and adaptive engineering efforts are the wave of the future. The Department of Defense's Simulation Based Acquisition initiative is a ease in point, but some critical issues need to be addressed to bring it to fruition. In this first part, we set the background in systems engineering information technology and the new role of complex adaptive system models that are changing our view of organizations as machines to organizations as organisms.