This is a great time to be a modeling and simulation professional! Thank you for inviting me to this conference to say a few words about our profession of defense modeling and simulation, and about what’s happening to it in the United States.

The value of modeling and simulations is not only gaining increasing notice in the United States, it’s becoming a highly sought skill. Most banks and Wall Street firms rely on their closely held versions of models and simulations to give them an economic advantage in the marketplace. Five years ago, the Congress of the United States started a Modeling and Simulation caucus, or special interest group, so that the Congress can specifically track model and simulation investments across the government. Last year, President Bush signed into law recognition that modeling and simulation capabilities are a national critical interest technology. Our Congress just passed a bill that will give two hundred million dollars to a group of 64 American universities over the next five years towards research on key areas associated with modeling and simulations.

In January, I attended a meeting across the US government on Modeling and Simulation where the Federal Aviation Administration was briefing Congress on its plan to use supercomputers and netted models to eliminate passenger waiting times and plane congestion at airports. Full Article...