ASCF Operational Planning Agent Demonstration

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ASCF Operational Planning Agent Demonstration

• 99F-SIW-195 Demo
• Rob Vrablik, SAIC
• Fall Simulation Interoperability Workshop
• September 13 - 17 1999
• The Advanced Synthetic Command Forces (ASCF)
  program is supported by the Defense Advanced
  Research Projects Agency Information Systems
  Office under the Advanced Simulation Technology
  Thrust (ASTT) program, and is intended to perform
  research and development of new technologies that
  can be used by the JSIMS program

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Disclaimers

• System limitations This is a prototype designed
  to simulate new concepts in command agent
  simulation. Only those portions of the agent
  under research were developed.
• This is a simulation of the simulation, not a
  fully simulation integrated command agent.
• Due to procurement delays, the display system
  doesnt yet have maps. The following is a
  storyboard demonstration, showing what the system
  decision logic is doing.
• Constraint set is functional, integration of maps
  expected by early November

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Situation

• Tensions are high in the gulf region between IRAN
  and countries we consider friendly (Saudi Arabia,
  Kuwait, UAE).
• The long-standing dispute between IRAN and the
  UAE over islands in the northeastern part of the
  Straight of Hormuz has heated up and could be
  used to justify an attack by Iran.
• Diplomatic and economic measures have been taken
  to try to alleviate the crisis, but have had no
  effect.
• The National Command Authority has decided that
  U.S. resolve could best be demonstrated by using
  the military to conduct a show of force.

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CENTCOM Theater Objectives

• Ensure access to strategic resources.
• Prevent hostile forces from gaining control of
  Straits of Hormuz.
• Ensure external security for friendly regional
  states.
• Conduct routine naval ops.

• Develop plans to provide various levels of
  military assistance to deter attacks on friendly
  counties.
• 1st-logistical spt.
• 2nd-provide air/naval/SOF spt if necessary.
• 3rd-Employ U.S. ground, naval, air forces.

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Joint Operations Area (JOA)
The JOA includes Land, Air, Sea, and Space in the
area indicated
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Disputed Islands, Straight of Hormuz
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A funny thing happened on the way to the Show of
Force

• A Show of Force is less critical and limiting
  than any follow-on mission.
• Planning the follow-on missions initial state
  and needs determines the actions of the Show of
  Force.
• Here a defensive action needs to be planned for
  first, then the show of force added.

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Initial command inputs, current status
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Options Area Mobile Defense

• Area Defense Focuses on denying enemy access to
  designated terrain for a specified time. Entire
  force is used either directly or through reserves
  to defend an area.
• Mobile Defense Force oriented. Minimum force is
  committed to a fixing force while the maximum
  combat power is dedicated to a striking force to
  destroy the enemy.
• System uses Area Defense first, then when options
  exhausted, Mobile Defense tried.

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Identify potential enemy targeting of friendly
forces and areas
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Identify possible enemy incursions to friendly
targets
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Evaluate friendly counters to possible
incursions, rule out possibilities with
sufficient countering forces
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Area Defense Options

• Area Defense produces a number of options
• Defending major targets
• Distribution of forces among possible targets
• Emphasis on reserves
• Weighting of most probable vs. largest enemy
  threat action

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Kuwait border defense. Defend against greatest
threat
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With defense complete, add Show of Force
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Backtracking

• Once have recorded solution, back up to previous
  branch in decision tree, change that decision,
  and pursue another branch.
• (Will now skip intermediate steps for brevity)

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Kuwait border defense with reserve
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Mobile Defense Mobile force separated from main
defense force, positioned for maximum mobility
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Concluding Statements

• Potential uses of technology
• Currently interest has been expressed in using
  ASCF technology/approach in planning tools,
  logistical planners, and command agent
  implementations.
• ASCF Schedule
• ASCF program scaling down as ASTT program
  finishes.
• Operational Demo should be complete by end of
  year.