Lessons learned in simulating a command center

Lessons Learned in Simulating a Command CenterGregory A. MackRobert R. CantorGregory WenzelBooz•Allen & Hamilton, Inc.8283 Greensboro Dr., McLean, Virginia 22102phone: 703-902-7141, Internet: maclcgregory @bah.comABSTRACTThis paper presents some lessons learned from simulating the operation of a command center in distributedinteractive simulations (DIS). We present the design of the Booz•Allen Command Center Systems Interface(C251) in terms of its functional architecture as well as the technologies used in its implementation. Wediscuss the design of the distributed component interfaces based on cooperating software agent pairs. Wediscuss aspects of several issues in simulating command and control systems in the ADS/DIS environment,namely: interoperation of constructive and virtual simulation, situation awareness, communication withadjacent C2 entities, control of subordinate entities and external sensors, terrain/environmental datamanagement, and data collection for after-action reporting.Keywords: distributed simulation, DIS, command and control, CORBA, real-time, model-view-controller,agents, TOC, command center.1. INTRODUCTIONThe Booz•Allen & Hamilton, Inc. Command Center Systems Interface (C251) was developed as to provide atestbed for Simulation-Based Systems Engineering' and human-computer interface design. The applicationfocus has been air defense BMJC3I, logistics modeling, and maritime vessel tracking. Keeping with itsheritage, the C2SI fills multiple roles: human-in-the-loop (HITL) systems interface (for training oroperations), HITL Simulation Executive, or autonomous C2SI. A higher echelon tactical operations center(TOC) is likely to be made up of multiple C2SI's as well as other tools.There are two ways of viewing the Command Center Systems Interface design: in terms of its applicationfunctional architecture and in terms of the technology of its implementation. Section 2 describes the C2SIapplication functional architecture. The application functional architecture is a view from "overhead." Itpartitions the system into subsystems that address specific application requirements. Section 3 describes theC251 implementation architecture as a view "from the side." The functional subsystems are constructedfrom reusable components drawn from layers. The layers are defined the Open Systems Interconnect (051)sense. The interfaces between layers are constrained so that the interchange of components within a layer istransparent to adjacent layers. Section 4 discusses the C2SI approach to interfacing with distributed,heterogeneous systems and models. This approach is based on the notion of cooperating agents2'3'4.Section 5 presents some operational experiences. We present workable solutions for some key issues, andconjectures about others we have confronted but not solved. The areas discussed are: interoperation ofconstructive and virtual simulation, situation awareness, communication with adjacent C2 entities, control ofsubordinate entities and external sensors, terrain/environmental data management, and data collection andafter-action reporting.2. C2SI FUNCTIONAL ARCHITECTUREThe Command and Control Systems Interface (C2SI) is intended to provide a command staff officer withtools that support all aspects of the Sense >