Army Unveils New Digital Simulation and Analysis Center

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) opened the doors to its new Digital Simulation and Analysis Center (DSAC) in August 2025. It will serve as a hub for research, development, and engineering in technologies such as hypersonic weapons, directed energy systems, and tactical space and high-altitude platforms, according to the SMDC.

The DSAC is a critical part of the Army’s strategy to increase technological agility and battlefield lethality, reported SMDC Commanding General Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey.

“DSAC is a space to do things differently—increase learning, move at a faster pace, and make our Army more lethal on the battlefield,” reported 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 noted that the facility’s capabilities will allow for thousands of virtual tests, enabling early learning and 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 part of 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.”

DSAC is 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 streamlined process from concept to fielding, providing needed 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.

The new facility is expected to play a key role in enabling more effective development of advanced military capabilities as the Army continues its focus on future warfare readiness and strategic overmatch.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.