Benchmarking Simulations for Missile Defense System Analysis

Elements of the U.S. missile defense system (MDS) create a layered defense capability providing detection, tracking, discrimination, and intercept capabilities against missile threats. As the MDS and its elements continue to grow and evolve to keep pace with our adversaries, the complexity of the system has increased. A critical component of MDS development, integration, and testing is accurately modeling and simulating the MDS with high-fidelity digital simulation models. These high-fidelity models provide the level of detail and accuracy needed to ensure that the MDS will meet performance and the desired design goals and requirements. However, the high degree of realism comes at a cost. Long computational runtimes severely limit the ability to explore possible alternative solution spaces within the MDS. Lower fidelity models can be developed that emulate components throughout the MDS but may sacrifice some realism to achieve vastly improved runtime efficiency. To provide utility to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the relative accuracy of the lower fidelity models must be precisely understood. Toyon proposes developing a complete MDS tailored framework, including a web-based user frontend, supporting databases and services, and fully functional backend and application programming interface to both optimize low-fidelity models and evaluate the impact of these models within the overall MDS. Approved for Public Release | 24-MDA-11906 (16 Sep 24)