Leveraging Digital Engineering to Reimagine Computational Analyses

Modeling and Simulation (M&S) has made substantial advances in capability and accuracy over the last fifty years. In modern design it is now routine to employ a variety of computational analyses to assess structural loads, aerodynamics, vibration, flight performance, flight controls, thermal loads, signatures, and many other technical performance areas. The focus on design has deeply entrenched M&S usage into functional engineering specialties where collaboration with other areas tends to be limited to specific data needs. This paper examines the current state-of-the-art in M&S and then looks at the state-of-the-possible. It is the author's personal belief that a new paradigm in physics-based computational analyses can be unlocked by integrating models from various functional engineering groups into a more unified model that supports the digital engineering transformation.