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Distributed Simulation for Theater Missile Defense Analysis by John Roberts The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization had a tough problem to tackle. BMDO needed to develop and field an integrated Family of Systems (FoS) to address the critical mission of theater missile defense (TMD). To do this effectively, decisionmakers at BMDO knew that robust, Joint service communications were central to its success. Did existing communications systems have the capacity to handle the anticipated bursts of activity resulting from nearly simultaneous launches of dozens of ballistic missiles within a theater of operations? If not, could the performance of the links be improved somehow to the level required without nearly total redesign, or would new, perhaps prohibitively expensive communications links need to be developed to meet this stressing threat? To properly analyze this problem, several capabilities had to co-exist: 1) represent an entire theater of operations, including large quantities of aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles (belonging to both friendly and opposing forces) as well as TMD FoS elements; 2) model tactical communications links at the level of fidelity necessary to realistically estimate system performance; and 3) provide systems engineering expertise to understand issues uncovered and to propose enhancements, if required. Since 1989, MITRE Bedford has been helping the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center (ESC) develop a world-class command and control (C2) modeling and analysis capability. By acquiring best-of-breed Joint service models, enhancing some of MITRE's detailed surveillance and communications models, and leveraging MITRE Washington's Aggregate Level Simulation Protocol (ALSP) software to tie selected models together, we have developed a powerful toolset for analyzing a variety of performance issues in support of TMD systems acquisition. This unique, distributed simulation capability developed for the Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (MASC) at Hanscom Air Force Base, was first applied to analyze theater-wide Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) network loading for BMDO. Why is Distributed Simulation So Important to C2 Analyses? Typically, simulations developed by contractors supporting Department of Defense projects have either virtually ignored or superficially treated many important aspects of C2, including implementing rather simplistic modeling of Joint tactical communications networks, including JTIDS. Our role in supporting BMDO required us to overcome this significant technical hurdle. We took advantage of the best features of the commercially-available, mission-level (i.e., theater-wide) Extended Air Defense Simulation (EADSIM) and the MITRE-developed Air Defense Simulation (ADSIM) by federating the tools together, allowing them to run in a parallel, linked fashion, as shown in Figure 1 [PDF, 87KB]. The widely-used EADSIM was selected to federate with our detailed MITRE simulation because BMDO routinely develops theater-wide threat scenarios in EADSIM format, and many other agencies also use it to develop large scenarios. We used it to model opposing force ballistic missile, cruise missile, and air attacks as well as background air traffic. EADSIM, however, cannot adequately model sensor performance to the level required to provide realistic JTIDS track-related message traffic. On the other hand, ADSIM possesses the requisite sensor, tracker and communications modeling fidelity, but its scenario generation capability is limited. Through the use of ALSP, our federation utilizes only the strengths of each federate. ALSP maintains time synchronization (causality) between the simulations, while we have essentially "short circuited" EADSIM's sensor and communications modeling and replaced it with ADSIM's. We are now migrating the federation from ALSP to full High Level Architecture compliance. Figure 2 [PDF, 73KB] summarizes the functions modeled in ADSIM. It models the JTIDS terminal's host system, the terminal itself and the network. ADSIM's explicit communications modeling includes JTIDS message buffering, metering, and time slot packing functions, as well as the radio frequency performance of the JTIDS radios. It also accurately models JTIDS message generation and the rules for transmitting these messages. ADSIM's sensor and tracker models are detailed enough to realistically calculate track quality according to MIL STD 60-16. Finally, ADSIM is able to download actual JTIDS network designs electronically from the software tool used by network designers. We have analyzed the potential for JTIDS network loading in the 2010 time frame. Our previous studies described the extent of likely track reporting problems with a 2010 Northeast Asia scenario developed by BMDO if no upgrades are funded for JTIDS. BMDO then funded us to augment our modeling with proposed upgrades and analyze them, including dynamic time slot reallocation functionality, to determine how much load mitigation they provide. Other Support to ESC Modeling, Simulation and Training Activities As a result of the recent reorganization of ESC, MASC programs were merged with simulation-based training programs. Under the umbrella of a new, broadly-chartered Modeling, Simulation and Training Product Area Directorate (MST PAD), MITRE has been able to bring together a number of simulation-based analysis and training efforts. These include:
For more information, please contact John Roberts using the employee directory. |
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