An Advanced Distributed Simulation (ADS) Test Implementation Methodology

The Joint Advanced Distributed Simulation JADS Joint Test and Evaluation program was chartered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense in October 1994 to investigate the utility of advanced distributed simulation ADS technologies for support of test and evaluation TE. Among other things, the charter tasked JADS to identify the critical constraints, concerns, and methodologies when using ADS for TE. JADS has gained considerable experience in planning and conducting distributed tests and is using that experience to develop methodologies which will be passed as legacy products to the TE community. This paper outlines a methodology developed by JADS for implementing ADS-based TE, once the decision has been made to use ADS. The implementation methodology follows the steps given in the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office DMSO High Level Architecture HLA Federation Development and Execution Process FEDEP model and amplifies them by adding lessons learned from JADS testing experience. Key methodology activities discussed are the careful determination of test objectives and all appropriate requirements before design of the ADS architecture begins. Also, the importance of integration testing is emphasized. The methodology is designed to take the tester through all aspects of ADS-based test planning, designing, developmentconstruction, check-out, execution, and reporting.