When fully realized, digital engineering in the Army will take engineering process components represented in disconnected documents and unify them in a virtual setting, Jennifer Swanson, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for data, engineering and software, said in a May interview with Breaking Defense.
Digital engineering is the use of virtual models – also referred to as digital twins – that depict real-world entities to design, develop and deliver products and systems. According to Swanson, this approach allows engineers to tackle any challenging considerations digitally before they “spend money and bend metal.”
Swanson is set to deliver a keynote address at ExecutiveBiz’s Digital Twins Forum on Nov. 1. During the event, top digital twins experts from both the U.S. Department of Defense and industry will come together to dive into the opportunities and challenges posed by these tools, which are rapidly growing in influence. Click here to secure your spot at the event and hear from Swanson in person!
In the interview, Swanson said the Army is looking to work with industry to gain new insights and address difficulties that may come with digital engineering adoption as it continues to build on its digital engineering strategies. A specific support area she noted is determining standards for digital tool operability and what they would look like in practice.
One industry executive driving digital twins progress in the federal government is Siemens Government Technologies President and CEO John Ustica, a 2023 Wash100 Award winner who has penned several pieces about the potential digital twins hold for public sector organizations. In an article published in February, he highlighted the creation of “digital national stockpiles” to prepare for future crises as one promising use of digital twins in the U.S. government.
He pointed out three challenges the U.S. government faces when implementing digital twins, including the collection of relevant, real time data; consistent and verifiable data standards; and cooperation and co-creation across a given agency. Collaboration with an industry organization, Ustica said, can enable customers to tackle these issues.
Ustica will also be present at the Digital Twins Forum, where he will introduce Swanson. Don’t miss out on the chance to learn from these influential leaders – click here to register for the event.
