The economic effects of reusability on distributed simulations

This paper examines whether the ability to reuse a simulation, in whole or in part, results in tangible cost savings on the overall economics of the original simulation. Specific target simulations are those created for the US Army using the mandated High Level Architecture framework for reusability. A hypothetical model was developed to determine if a simulation created for the High Level Architecture could produce quantitative cost savings due to its reusability while keeping other cost parameters constant. It was discovered that actual cost data and percentages of reusability for existing Army simulations were difficult to assess. Further, it was discovered that the economics of reusability had never been addressed from a consistent viewpoint. From a purely hypothetical, economic standpoint, reusability proves itself to be a strong economic argument for the use of the High Level Architecture framework or some similar architecture.