The Department of Defense’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering — or USD R&E — has issued a document establishing policy and procedures for the verification, validation and accreditation of models, simulations, distributed simulations and related data.
The latest DOD Instruction, titled DOD Modeling and Simulation Verification, Validation and Accreditation, took effect Tuesday.
The document outlines the responsibilities of the USD R&E director of operational test and evaluation and heads of the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Defense Health Agency, among other officials, when it comes to verifying and accrediting models and simulations.
The instruction, for instance, directs the USD R&E to coordinate with the department’s component heads to develop policies, plans and procedures for implementing and managing VV&A for models, simulations and associated data and foster cooperative research, development, investment and application of VV&A technologies.
The document establishes the basis for credible modeling and simulation across the department and includes a section for VV&A documentation requirements.
Heidi Shyu, DOD’s under secretary for research and engineering and a 2024 Wash100 awardee, approved the latest instruction.