A simulation approach to a virtual base defense operating center

Abstract

The TRADOC Maneuver Support Center of Excellence (MSCoE) is the Army proponent for protection and in turn, has the mission to support fixed site protection issues. To this end, the Maneuver Support Battle Lab (MSBL) developed a Virtual Base Defense Operating Center (VBDOC) capability that was initiated in support of the Force Protection Joint Experiment (FPJE) to examine data fusion enhancements and improvements to the Common Operating Picture (COP) display. Furthermore BDOC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), and Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) capabilities were examined in order to optimize manpower, reduce exposure of friendly personnel, and improve force protection. The Modeling and Simulation (M&S) architecture was especially important due to the cost of providing realistic environments, such as Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) hazards, and the availability of soldiers for experimentation. The VBDOC simulation architecture contains a force-on-force simulation, a CBRN simulation, a desktop UGV Advanced Concepts Research Tool (ACRT) and a sensor controller using the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocol. This simulation architecture stimulated actual Command and Control (C2) systems including the Joint Battlespace Command and Control System (JBC2S) and the Joint Warning and Reporting Network (JWARN). These C2 systems, along with video feeds from various sensors and unmanned vehicles, were used by Battle Captains and staffs for situational awareness of the battlefield while conducting the experiment. The VBDOC capability offers a controlled environment to study fixed site protection issues, such as future Concept of Operation (CONOP)/TTP/SOP development and refinement, examining emerging concepts, and assessing specific technology capabilities.