The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) unveiled its new Digital Simulation and Analysis Center (DSAC) on Thursday, which will serve as a hub for research, development, and engineering in emerging technologies such as hypersonic weapons, directed energy systems, and tactical space and high-altitude platforms.
According to SMDC Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, the DSAC is a cornerstone in the Army’s strategy to increase technological agility and battlefield lethality.
“DSAC is a space to do things differently – increase learning, move at a faster pace, and make our Army more lethal on the battlefield,” said Gainey in a statement. “This center will support the detailed work of our hypersonic, directed energy, tactical space, and high-altitude laboratories. The building may look normal, but the magic happens inside.”
Gainey emphasized the importance of modeling and simulation in reducing development costs and accelerating innovation. He noted that the facility’s capabilities will allow for thousands of virtual tests, enabling early learning and confident prototyping before physical testing begins.
“Technology is a force multiplier from the start for the Army, but modeling and simulation is a technology multiplier,” he said. “It turns a normal building like this into a learning laboratory.”
DSAC is a significant step in advancing the Army’s modernization efforts through enhanced digital engineering and analysis capabilities.
“We optimized our headquarters to be more oriented on defending the homeland and providing capability from additional forces that we will receive in the future,” said Gainey during a separate event hosted by DefenseOne on Aug.11.
“We are in a critical point in time where our modernization efforts are key to the growing threat that we’re all seeing out there from missiles and drones, and it’s important we move forward on path with that effort,” he said.
DSAC is also part of the larger SMDC Technology Complex and is designed to provide secure, accredited government computing services, supporting the science, technology, and test communities throughout the Department of Defense.
According to SMDC officials, the DSAC will allow for a more streamlined process from concept to fielding, providing capable products to the warfighter.
The facility will also play a key role in the testing and characterization of prototype systems across critical domains, including space, missile defense, high-altitude, hypersonic, and directed energy technologies. It also supports collaboration between government, military, and industry partners.
DSAC’s accredited computing environment is intended to integrate with joint and Army laboratory efforts, contributing to ongoing efforts to maintain the United States’ technological edge over adversaries.
The new facility is expected to play a key role in enabling more effective and efficient development of advanced military capabilities as the Army continues its focus on future warfare readiness and strategic overmatch.