Issues and Considerations in Distributed Simulation of Coalition Network Centric Operations

Coalition network-centric operations are a crucial component of future military operations but their success and efficiency is by no means guaranteed and simulation is one powerful technique for assuring this success. The challenges of coalition operations that simulation can address spring from a number of sources, including differences in equipment, differences in training, and differences in tactics. While these are only some of the many sources of operational challenges between coalition partners, one of the most challenging of the sources is the difference between the national and military cultures of the coalition partners. These cultural differences appear to affect all aspects of coalition operations, from the exchange of information at the highest level of command down to the tactical cooperation/interoperation achieved among coalition partners. In the light of the commitment made by the US to achieving a network-centric operational capability coupled with the increasing frequency of coalition operations, the need to understand and manage the effect of cultural differences on coalition operations is increasingly pressing and clearly important. While the solution(s) to the challenges posed by cultural differences among coalition partners are not yet evident, the scope and breadth of the challenges are becoming increasingly clear and the time is ripe to start to clarify and explore the issues as well as the range of solutions to coalition network centric operational challenges. In this paper we examine the issues and considerations that must be addressed in order to achieve effective and efficient coalition operations by using simulation technology to illuminate issues, develop solutions, and evaluate alternatives. Simulations of network centric operations that properly consider the many issues to be addressed in coalition operations will allow us to come to grips with the challenges posed by the coalition military operations of the future.