State of the HLA: A Users Perspective

1
State of the HLAA Users Perspective

• Colonel Mark Smith
• Director, JADS Joint Test Force
• 1 December 1998
• smith_at_jads.kirtland.af.mil

HLA User Special Session
2
JADS Joint TE Program

• Works directly for OSD
• Army, Navy Air Force participation
• Basic charter 1994, EW Test 1996
• Organization shuts down March 2000
• Charter Determine the utility of advanced
  distributed simulation (ADS) for developmental
  operational test and evaluation (TE)

3
JADS Approach

• TE of ADS using representative systems
• Across three slices of the TE spectrum
• System Integration Test
• Flexible missile TE using AMRAAM AIM-9
• End-to-End Test
• Integrated C4I TE using Joint STARS
• Electronic Warfare Test
• Enhanced EW test process using ALQ-131
• Form broader conclusions
• Leveraging off other programs -- Other ADS

4
Emerging Findings

• Utility - ADS is a viable tool in
  TE/Acquisition
• Precision Guided Munitions - demonstrated more
  rigorous testing strong evidence for
  schedule/cost savings
• C4ISR - Best fit of all classes of systems
• Electronic Warfare - Premature to judge, but
  looks promising
• Concerns Constraints
• Strong systems engineering approach needed
• Programmatic issues scheduling, test control,
  funding, multi-level security
• Requirements
• More/better near-real time instrumentation
• Facility interfaces (equipment communications)
• High Level Architecture not mature, but looks
  promising

5
Emerging Lessons Learned

• Latency a function of distance and processing -
  Distributed has little to do with distance
• For most uses, programmatic challenges are more
  limiting than technical ones
• ADS allows you to test (or RDE) differently
• Most organizations dont have resident expertise
  to allow managers to make a programmatic
  assessment of using ADS vice traditional tools
• The benefits of ADS are best realized over a
  programs life cycle (i.e., SBA, STEP)

6
Wrap Up

• The Way Ahead
• RDE community needs to articulate its needs with
  regard to HLA
• Get involved in helping HLA mature to meet your
  needs
• Simulation Interoperability Standards
  Organization
• Experiment with it