CFOR Approach to Simulation Scalability

ARPA, in its STOW program, expressed a goal of expanding virtual simulation exercises to encompass 100,000 DIS entities. Obvious scalability challenges to meeting this goal are the computer and network issues such as bandwidth and computing power. However, human issues are also relevant; such issues include exercise management, reducing the staffing necessary for an exercise, and maintaining realism while increasing the span of control of human operators.. As a part of STOW, the Command Forces (CFOR) program simulates command and control nodes in software. One of its goals is to address and improve the human aspects of scalability. In particular, it aims to (1) reduce the number of personnel required to operate a training exercise; (2) maintain the fidelity of a DIS exercise; (3) enhance the training value to the operators; and (4) facilitate exercise management. INTRODUCTION The Advanced Research Program Agency (ARPA) is engaged in implementing a program called the Synthetic Theater of War (STOW). This program has an expressed a goal of expanding virtual simulation exercises to encompass 100,000 entities. Obvious challenges to meeting this goal include electronic issues such as communications bandwidth and computing power. However, human issues are also relevant, including exercise management, reducing the staffing necessary for an exercise, and maintaining realism while increasing the span of control of human operators. The Command Forces (CFOR) program is a part of ARPA's STOW program. It seeks to introduce command and control nodes into virtual exercises. This paper discusses how CFOR's concept, architecture, and design address scalability in a large DIS exercise. CFOR scalability goals are to (1) Reduce the number of personnel required to operate a training exercise by permitting operators to control larger numbers of vehicles (2) Maintain the fidelity of a DIS exercises by faithfully representing the command decision making of intermediate command nodes and the flow of orders and reports in the battlefield (3) Enhance the training value to the operators by utilizing or mimicking real-world command and control workstations (4) Facilitate exercise management by monitoring and logging command and control activity during an exercise.