Distributed Collaborative Environments for Predictive Battlespace Awareness

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Distributed Collaborative Environments for
Predictive Battlespace Awareness

• Steve Hoberty
• Air Force Research Laboratory
• AFRL/IFSD
• Approved for Public Release AFRL/IFOIPA, Case
  Number 02-22

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Outline

• Introduction
• PBA Definitions
• Decision Support for PBA in the AOC
• Defining a Distributed Decision Support
  Environment
• Integrating MS into a DSE for PBA
• Summary

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Introduction
Predictive-analysis tools will expand the
power of integrated ISR intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance. Horizontally
integrated ISR, combined with these predictive
tools, will build the concept of intelligence
preparation of the battlefield into an emerging
concept called predictive battlespace awareness
(PBA) We are aiming for a forensic level
understanding of the battlespace in all four
dimensions. PBA will allow us to anticipate the
right move rather than simply react to enemy
moves. PBA is essential to the GSTF.
-- Gen John P. Jumper, Global Strike Task
Force- A Transforming Concept, Forged by
Experience, Aerospace Power Journal, Spring
2001.
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Predictive Battlespace Definitions

• Working Definition
• Understanding of the operational environment that
  allows the commander
• and staff to anticipate future conditions,
  analyze adversary and friendly courses of
• action, formulate plans, and forecast specific
  events where decisions are required.
• ACC PBA CONOPS
• A continuous cycle that integrates Target Systems
  Analysis (TSA), Intel Preparation
• of the Battlespace (IPB), ISR Strategy and
  Planning, and ISR Employment into a
• coherent framework to maximize the capabilities
  of ISR assets in all environments
• and across the spectrum of operations.
• Two Major Aspects
• Battlespace Awareness - Where commander has
  been where he is now
• Predictive Awareness - Extrapolates the
  outcome of previous decisions

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Predictive Battlespace AwarenessThe Concept

• Such awareness includes
• baseline reconnaissance of the battle space
• terrain delimitation
• focused surveillance
• cataloged analyses of movement patterns
• knowledge of enemy tactics, intentions, and
  disposition
• course-of action analysis
• PBA will allow us to anticipate the right move
  rather than simply react to enemy moves
• PBA is essential to the GSTF

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Distributed Decision Support for PBA In the Air
Operations Center
The multiple divisions with the Air Operations
Center (AOC) need to collaborate with each other.
Strategy Division - Creates an integrated
Joint Air Operations Plan - Matches the phases
of the Joint Force Commanders Campaign Plan -
Takes into account ability of air/ space power to
pursue parallel warfare - Interacts on a
continuous basis with -- Combat Plans
Division -- Combat Operations Division
-- ISR Division -- Counterparts
supporting the other component commanders
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Distributed Collaborative Decision Support
Environment (DSE)

• Enables geographically, temporally, and
  disciplinarily distinct resources and users to
  seamlessly interoperate, archive and recall work
  products throughout an enterprise

• Through simulation, discovery, and just-in-time
  information, the DSE will enable better
  decisions, not just faster ones

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Defining a Distributed Decision Support
Environment
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Commanders Portal
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Human Collaboration Tools
Asynchronous Synchronous
Capability
Purpose

• Build the framework to support the live, real
  time interaction and collaboration of
  geographically separated human users
• Bring users from a variety of disciplines
  together to share their unique product knowledge
  and requirements

• Chat - public private
• Shared Whiteboard
• Application Sharing
• Threaded Discussions
• Instant Messaging
• Email
• Video Tele-Conferencing (VTC)

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Document Management
Purpose
Capability

• Web-based Access User Interface
• Hierarchical Organization Storage
• Object level Access Restriction
• Manage any Textual or Binary Data
• Threaded Discussions
• Versioning, Rollback Audit Trials
• Meta-Data Mgmt Document Search
• External Access Security (SSL)
• Workflow Integration

• Provide Enterprise Wide Web-based Documentation
  Management.
• Allow Users and Collaboration Middleware
  Components to Create, Search For, Access and
  Store documents from anywhere in the Enterprise

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Workflow Building
Purpose
Capability

• Provide ability to develop, execute and manage
  product development and enterprise business
  processes
• Support the execution and control of enterprise
  resources identified in a workflow process
• Provide runtime management capabilities and
  status information

• Multi-Pane User Interface
• Distributed Execution Viewing
• Drag Drop Workflow Development
• Persistent Storage of Workflows
• Management Control of any
• Enterprise Resource
• Dynamic Runtime Process Mgmt

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Form Building Processing
Purpose
Capability

• Provide ability to graphically develop, test
  and deploy electronic forms via Java 1.3 applets
• Form instances downloaded via web browser and
  applet. Data persisted dynamically on Server via
  JSP
• Forms can be used in conjunction with workflow
  and ECA rules to create a paperless automated
  enterprise

• Drag Drop Form GUI Builder
• Customizable Java Beans
• Automatic Code generation and Web
• deployment/publishing
• Absolutely NO CODING required to
• build a form and deploy it
• Automatic persistence for entered data
• within DocumentKonnect

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Integrating MS into a DSE for PBA

• System-of-system models may be required to
• rapidly assess the effects of high fidelity
  weapons employment
• indicate general trends of effects and enemy
  responses
• Timeliness and responsiveness are essential
• if MS tools are to be relevant to planners at
  the operational level and offer the ability to
  influence the tactical battle
• Use of a DSE combined with high performance
  computers, will facilitate the timeliness of data
  used for prediction

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Integrating MS into a DSE for PBA
Data Prep
Mission Level Assessment
Campaign Level Assessment
STK
Non Real-time Trade Space Reduction
ALARM
Suppressor
STK
AOC
EADSIM
JSAF
ACAS
ESAMS
MOSAIC
Concept Comparison Cost Effectiveness Analysis
JMASS
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Illustrative Outputs Metrics
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Conclusions
Revolutionary and evolutionary advances in
information and simulation technology now provide
significant opportunities to implement
distributed decision support for military
transformation concepts such as predictive
battlespace awareness