Live, Virtual And Constructive Research Articles

Review of the Research Progress in Combat Simulation Software

To address the new functional requirements brought by the introduction of new weapons and new combat modes, a comprehensive survey of the research progress in the area of combat simulation software is performed from the perspective of software engineering. First, the top-level specification, simulation engine, and simulation framework of combat simulation software are reviewed. Then, several typical combat simulation software systems are demonstrated, and the relevant software frameworks are analyzed. Finally, combining the application prospect of artificial intelligence, metaverse, and other new technologies in combat simulation, the development trends of combat simulation software are presented, namely intellectualization, adaptation to an LVC (live, virtual, and constructive) system, and a more game-based experience. Based on a comprehensive comparison between the mentioned simulation frameworks, we believe that the AFSIM (Advanced framework for simulation, integration, and modeling) and the E-CARGO (Environments—classes, agents, roles, groups, and objects) are appropriate candidates for developing distributed combat simulation software.

A look back at the past 44 years of live virtual and constructive (LVC) simulation and lessons for cyberspace LVC

A look back at the past 44 years of live virtual and constructive (LVC) simulation and lessons for cyberspace LVC

A Systematic Review of the Multi-Resolution Modeling (MRM) for Integration of Live, Virtual, and Constructive Systems

Multi-Resolution Modeling (MRM) is a modeling technology that creates a model that expresses the same phenomenon at more than two different resolutions. Since the advent of distributed simulation systems, the MRM study began in the military field, where the modeling and simulation (M&S) was most actively developed and was recognized as an essential area in the integrated system of live, virtual and constructive (LVC) simulations. Models of the various resolutions had already been built based on the characteristics and training purposes of each weapon system, and the interoperability of these models was a primary task in the M&S community. In this study, we report the results from a systematic review of the MRM to address two questions: (1) What research has been done towards the MRM for integrating LVC system? (2) What are the research and technology challenges for the MRM implementation in the future? In total, 22 papers have been identified and studied in this review by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The structures of the significant 20 MRM implementation experiments in those papers are analyzed based on the relationship between the MRM and integrating the LVC system being implemented in the military. We explored the various issues related to the MRM. Then, we discussed the direction in which the MRM should move forward, comparing civilian modeling techniques with those being used in the military.

Live, Virtual and Constructive Training Fidelity (LVC TF) Special Session

Frequently, the human element is overlooked and regarded as an afterthought. For instance, training programs may teach workarounds for design issues rather than fixing them before building a system. However, diagnosing and identifying issues beforehand by looking at the whole system is difficult. In the Vision for Naval Aviation 2025, Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) training is stated as fundamental to fleet readiness when faced with increasing threat capabilities and increasing cost to operate live aircraft. Further, the Chief Naval Office’s navigation plan cites LVC training as the goal for the PB-16 program to ensure sailors are “prepared, confident and proficient.” Thus, the issue of current training technologies not addressing the increasing threat has been identified. To address this, and include the human element, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) initiated the LVC Training Fidelity (LVC TF) program, specifically focused on the safety, fidelity and technological needs for LVC.

Special Issue: Art and Science of Live, Virtual and Constructive Simulation and Intelligent Agents to Support Defense and Homeland Security Testing and Analysis

Modeling and simulation (M&S) has tremendous application in private and governmental sectors. From simple to complex constructive simulations, through object-oriented and agent-based simulations, all the way to the large complex distributed simulation environments, M&S affords the opportunity to examine just about anything of interest to the decision maker. We are pleased to present this combined special issue that provides works comprising this full range of M&S applications. Distributed environments composed of live, virtual and constructive (LVC) simulations have been used by the training and experimentation communities for over 10 years. The use of LVC simulation environments is being increasingly examined for potential analytical use, particularly in test and evaluation. The use of LVC for test and evaluation can increase the density and diversity of represented assets, which improves the robustness of the test. The integration of both real and simulated entities, often represented by different levels of realism and fidelity into a common synthetic battlespace or world, presents unique and interesting research challenges for both the analyst attempting to leverage this capability and secondly by the simulation architect attempting to produce credible data from a potentially complex distributed real-time software system. The analyst is often challenged with practical experimental design issues including a limited set of runs (i.e. small sample sizes) due to, for example, limited availability of pilots and operators for the live and virtual assets (i.e. the human subjects) and potential issues with unwanted noise and/or variance being introduced by including too much realism. The simulation architect is challenged with fundamental data consistency issues that arise when the desire to execute in real-time conflicts with the desire to interconnect geographically separated simulations. Additional cross-cutting challenges arise when the desire to reuse existing models and simulations often designed for different purposes are interconnected within the same simulated environment: from the analyst’s perspective of ‘‘will this affect the environment?’’ to the simulation engineer’s perspective of ‘‘are the models interoperable?’’. The first article by Hodson and Hill examines issues associated with using LVC simulation for testing purposes. Largely used in experimental and demonstration purposes, the promise of LVC simulation for test and evaluation purposes does not come without challenges, which are discussed in this lead article. The second article, ‘‘Effectiveness testing of non-lethal weapons’’ by Mezzacappa, argues that LVC simulation provides a crucial component of any research program on non-lethal weapons. The assessment of non-lethal weapons is problematic: it is hard to put humans in harm’s way. This paper discusses the US Army approach to non-lethal weapon assessment and the incorporation of LVC simulation into that testing. The third article, ‘‘Relational oriented systems engineering framework for flight training’’ by Dickerson and Holden addresses complex systems engineering concerns required to realize an LVC simulation for flight training experimentation. The authors introduce a Relational Oriented Systems Engineering (ROSE) methodology for the integration of systems within a system to realize a requisite LVC environment for complex system problems.

Planning for LVC Simulation Experiments

The use of Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) simulations are increasingly being examined for potential analytical use particularly in test and evaluation. In addition to system-focused tests, LVC simulations provide a mechanism for conducting joint mission testing and system of systems testing when fiscal and resource limitations prevent the accumulation of the necessary density and diversity of assets required for these complex and comprehensive tests. LVC simulations consist of a set of entities that interact with each other within a situated environment (i.e., world) each of which is represented by a mixture of computer-based models, real people and real physical assets. The physical assets often consist of geographically dispersed test assets which are interconnected by persistent networks and augmented by virtual and constructive entities to create the joint test environment under evaluation. LVC experiments are generally not statistically designed, but really should be. Experimental design methods are discussed followed by additional design considerations when planning experiments for LVC. Some useful experimental designs are proposed and a case study is presented to illustrate the benefits of using statistical experimental design methods for LVC experiments. The case study only covers the planning portion of experimental design. The results will be presented in a subsequent paper.

Quantifying radar measurement errors in a Live–Virtual–Constructive environment to determine system viability: a case study

We present a case study that attempts to replicate the realism of a test range using a Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) simulation. Because resources are limited on a real test range, the Air Force Simulation and Analysis Facility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was tasked to build a simulation that emulated, to a high degree of fidelity, test range assets – the goal was to understand the impact of jamming on an enemy’s integrated air defense system. Before testing began, the simulated effects generated by the LVC simulation have to be viable, robust and realistic in order to provide credible data during later phases of experimentation. We present our approach to evaluating the correctness of the LVC simulation that considers sources of error associated with real-world radar measurements, errors caused by model abstraction and errors introduced due to real-time distributed simulation architectures, including shared state-space inconsistencies, coordinate conversion issues and a common time reference.

Relational oriented systems engineering framework for flight training

The integration of systems of systems (SoS) associated with a flight training mission directly reflects the problem of developing a system engineering process for the design of live, virtual and constructive (LVC) experiments. Due to the complexity and disparity of the technology in a flight training SoS (FTSoS), modeling and analysis of architecture is becoming increasingly important. Relational Oriented Systems Engineering (ROSE) methodology is used to develop a framework for simulation and analysis of a navigational SoS for a typical aircraft. The framework can be used for both the prescription of navigation systems entering and exiting the SoS and for the analysis of pilot behavior as navigation quality of service (QoS) changes. ROSE offers a novel approach to developing a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) process for simulation and analysis of a complex SoS problem.