Joint Command and Control (JC2) capability development utilising a Modelling and Simulation Framework

Abstract

The command, control and information warfare competency of Defence, Peace, Safety and Security (DPSS), an operating unit of the CSIR is using systems modelling and simulation in its Joint Command and Control (JC2) research. JC2 encompasses systems from the air, land and maritime arms of services. A unique modelling and simulation framework has been developed. The framework is used as a platform to develop prototype consoles to experiment with Ground-Based Air Defence Systems (GBADS) concepts: situational picture management; data and sensor fusion; user interaction; tactical simulation; incident management; and system interoperability. Applications developed with the framework can be executed and distributed over multiple hosts through a proprietary internal publish subscribe backbone. The result is the speeding up the simulation of command and control (C2) equipment and systems. Applications developed with the framework enable interoperability among distributed (i.e. not at the same location) Command and Control applications. Interoperability is achieved by supporting the native protocols of the Command and Control systems and being able to translate between them. The next generation of C2 applications are expected to be web-based (or follow a service oriented architecture). Common sets of enterprise middleware would enable integration of these next generation C2 applications, but enterprise middleware does not address interoperability with existing (or legacy) C2 applications nor does it address interoperability with existing and future tactical systems (like fighter aircraft). Applications developed with the framework enable tactical systems to communicate with each other and with the C2 enterprise as well as filling gaps in the command and control deployment (i.e. modelling systems and equipment that are not available or maybe do not even exist yet). The framework also employs a third party visualisation component, Sentience, for 2D and 3D display, which is developed in the Optronics competency area of DPSS. By combining the framework with a 2D/3D visualisation component and a third party graphical user interface, a complete application development platform is created where researchers can experiment with new ideas and concepts. Developing a framework “in-house” allows flexibility and full control of the development cycle. Applications developed with the framework have proved to be extremely successful during SANDF field exercises. Within the command and control domain, field exercises provide optimisation opportunities to the system and process.