Development of simulation services to support military experimentation
Scientific Publication
- Report Number:
- DSTO-GD-0270
- Authors:
- Au, A.; Best, J.; Clark, P.; Chin, M.; Clothier, J.; Davies, M.; Davis, R.; Finn, A.; Fogg, D.; Grisogono, A.; Hodge, R.; Nunes-Vaz, R.; Martin, N.; Mason, M.; Oldfield, S.; Pongracic, H.; Ryan, P.; White, C.; Scholz, J.; Scholz, M.; Vaughan, J.; Whitbread, P.; Kingston, G.
- Issue Date:
- 2001-01
- AR Number:
- AR-011-703
- Classification:
- UNCLASSIFIED
- Report Type:
- General Document
- Task Sponsor:
- D/ESRL
- File Number:
- N 9505/19/237
- Pages:
- 108
- Terms:
- Command control communications and intelligence; Environment simulation; Simulation; Defense technology
- URI:
- http://hdl.handle.net/1947/3709
Abstract
One certainty for the future of warfare is change. To be prepared for tomorrow's new challenges, Defence requires organisational flexibility and innovation. A Joint Synthetic Environment (JSE) may facilitate this capacity for change and innovation across Defence. A JSE would link existing and emerging synthetic environments such virtual air, land and maritime platforms; C4ISR, EW and IO simulations developed in DSTO, industry and by our allies through the use of interoperable standards and simulation services based on High Level Architecture (HLA). The extension of the Experimental Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Technology Environment (EXC3ITE) network to support the use of distributed simulation and military synthetic environments is examined from a research research perspective. Issues from operational, systems and perspectives perspectives are presented, addressing the use of emerging simulation middleware (eg HLA), in harmony with legacy simulation standards. Recommendations are made for progressing the development of simulation services, which will require a response from industry to develop as a National capability to underpin future military experimentation and innovation in Australia.
Executive Summary
“All organizations must innovate and experiment, or they will lose to competitors who do.” (Anon) "Our capability edge will also come from innovative ways in which we develop our doctrine, organization and logistics." (Defence White Paper 2000) One certainty for the future of warfare is change. To be prepared for tomorrow's new challenges, Defence requires organisational flexibility and innovation. A Joint Synthetic Environment (JSE) may facilitate this capacity for change and innovation across Defence. A JSE would link existing and emerging synthetic environments such virtual air, land and maritime platforms; C4ISR, EW and IO simulations developed in DSTO, industry and by our allies through the use of interoperable standards and simulation services based on High Level Architecture (HLA). We expect that future Defence simulations will be component-based with open interfaces, wrapped by "middleware" (eg such as HLA) to form "simulation services" which are available to any authorized user on the network. This strategy will have significant savings for Defence in terms of cost, evolvability and ease of information management. These simulation services may be assembled to flexibly integrate synthetic environments as required for specific Defence studies. The knowledge for achieving this resides in the EXC3ITE (Experimental C31 Technical Environment) experience, and we propose to build these simulation services with EXC3ITE information services to facilitate rich military experimentation and innovation. We examine the use of simulation within DSTO, describe an operational concept and architecture for distributed simulation based on specific "use" cases for various ADF environments, and also address a number of systems and technical issues and potential limitations. The set of recommendations will be addressed by the DSTO Simulation Hub to progress the development of this capability .