Modeling and simulations (M&S) are an integral component of the U.S. Department of Defense's focus for delivering integrated, network-centric systems-of-systems (SoS) that provide the materiel solutions to needed capabilities. M&S assists developers and decision makers in a wide range of technical processes like analysis of alternatives, concept development, requirements evaluation, production and manufacturing, test and evaluation (T&E), integration, training, logistics, and risk management as well as in assessing the capability over the entire operational space. M&S will continue to grow as a critical component of an overall test program strategy. Broadly, the T&E community will need better utilize the M&S tools available and push for new methods to ingrate test and M&S results. In this presentation we examine the current state of M&S in acquisition T&E, as viewed from the lens of a small number of acquisition programs, and provide some useful hints to advance and get the most of its application. Through examining these programs we found what policy and practices weren’t being used and where the policy and practices need to change. Specifically, we provide a perspective on the role of M&S in the T&E strategy, the sufficiency of M&S processes, identify gaps in M&S verification and validation (V&V), report on methods used for assessing model maturity, and identify digital engineering strategies that could help improve M&S V&V over the lifecycle.