A model-driven approach to enable the distributed simulation of complex systems

The increasing complexity of modern systems makes their design, development and operation extremely challenging and therefore new Systems Engineering and Modeling and Simulation (M&S) techniques, methods and tools are emerging, also to benefit from distributed simulation environments. In this context, one of the most mature tools is the IEEE 1516-2010 - Standard for M&S High Level Architecture (HLA). However, building and maintaining distributed simulations components, based on the IEEE 1516-2010 standard, is still a challenging and costly task. To ease the development of full-fledged HLA-based simulations, the paper proposes the MONADS method that, according to the model-driven systems engineering paradigm, allows one to generate the HLA-based simulation code from SysML models by the use of a chain of model-to-model and model-to-text transformations. The effectiveness of the method is shown through a case study that concerns an Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) approaching and docking to the International Space Station (ISS).