Certification of U' S' Army Simulations Interfaces with C4I Systems

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Certification of U. S. Army SimulationsInterfaces
with C4I Systems
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DURING A BATTLE STAFF TRAINING EVENT USING THE
DIGITAL BATTLESTAFF SUSTAINMENT TRAINER (DBST),
THE SIM/STIM COMMUNITY WAS SINGLED OUT AS
FIGURATIVELY BRINGING ABCS TO ITS KNEES.
FROM THIS EXPERIENCE CAME A CLEAR NEED TO NOT
ONLY CERTIFY SIM/STIMS ABILITY TO INTERFACE WITH
ABCS, BUT TO ALSO MEASURE, AND IF NEEDED,
REGULATE ITS RATE AND LOAD OF STIMULATION.
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PURPOSE

• DEFINE INTRA-ARMY INTEROPERABILITY TESTING
  (CERTIFICATION)
• REVIEW LESSONS FROM THE FIRST SIMULATION/STIMULATI
  ON CERTIFICATION EVENT

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AGENDA

• DEFINE CERTIFICATION
• EVENT PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
• DESCRIPTION OF EVENT
• EVENT KEY PLAYERS
• EXECUTION CHALLENGES
• LESSONS LEARNED
• NEXT STEP
• FUTURE
• CONCLUSIONS

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Intra-Army Interoperability Testing
(Certification)

• Intra-Army Interoperability TestingCertification
  
• Interoperability with ABCS versions
• Confirmation that an Army C4I system and
  appropriate interfaces have undergone appropriate
  conformance to standards testing and
  interoperability testing.
• The specified entity is judged eligible to
  participate in intra-Army tests, demonstrations,
  exercises, experiments, and operational events.
• HQDA Directed PEOC3S (CTSF) Executed

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Intra-Army Interoperability Testing
(Certification) cont.

• SIMCI Interest
• Validation of the SIMCI technical vision
• Evaluation of funded initiatives
• Not VVA
• No end to end requirement
• Focus on interface, not simulation
• Is a component of V V A

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Event Planning Considerations

• Simulation interfaces often do not have detailed
  standards of performance
• Multiple cases and conditions per interface
• Primary and secondary simulations
• Injection points
• ABCS and exercise architecture
• ABCS development cycle
• Unique Force XXI environment
• --------------------------------------------------
  ------------------
• These considerations drive certification to
  message verification level

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DECEMBER 00 Certification Event

• DBST Suite
• Use
• Components

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Event Plan

• Phase 1 (Two weeks)
• Interface test
• Individual Messages x3
• USMTF/JVMF/BFA unique
• Scripted
• Manual data collection
• One BFA at a time
• Phase 2 (One week)
• System of System (SoS) test
• Multiple Messages size/frequency adjusted
• Simulation/script driven
• Automated data collection
• All BFAs simultaneously

Focus Message Validation
Focus Stress ABCS
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Event Players

• PEOC3S, STRICOM, NSC
• Limited representation from each community
• Mixture of government and support contractors
• Limited observation by others with interest
• Operational Test Command
• Simulation developers

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Execution Challenges

• Educating of testers and operators
• Technical Integration with ABCS
• Focusing Certification
• Individual interfaces vice SoS
• Generic vice event specific
• ABCS versus BFA
• Data collection
• Message verification
• Source/LAN/target collection means
• USMTF/JVMF/unique message formats

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Lessons Learned

• Detailed entrance/exit criteria a necessity
• Clarifies what is being certified and to what
  standard
• Defines when you are ready to begin
• Defines when an event is complete
• Interface certification and SoS load testing
  should be separate
• C4I certification goes beyond ABCS certification
• BFA stovepipes (Fire support, Air tracks, TBM, )
• JSTARS, TAUV,
• Prior and continual Integration critical
• Spiral Development a greater challenge than
  expected
• Message formats
• Databases
• New functionality

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Next Step

• RTM/EPIU
• 9-20 July 2001
• Message certification and stress testing
• TACSIM T4
• 30 Jul-3 Aug
• Challenges with security
• Incorporating lessons learned

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Future
Focus Evaluate C4I to Joint Common Data Base
(JCDB) data replication

• ETSIU
• Eagle
• RTM

• CLOSE COMBAT TACTICAL TRAINER XXI
• WARSIM-In preparation for formal fielding to the
  Army

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Conclusions

• Interdependency between MS and ABCS
• Integration testing ABCS Development
• Operational Testing
• Individual and Staff Training
• Co-location of ABCS and Simulation Developers
• Only way to maintain relevance
• Cause and effect not always apparent
• Relationship of certification and VVA
• Each are currently independent
• Neither by itself is sufficient

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Definitions/Descriptions

• SIMCI OIPT Simulation to Command, Control,
  Communications, Computers and Intelligence
  Interoperability (SIMCI) Overarching Integrated
  Product Team (OIPT)
• ABCS Army Battle Command System
• DII COE Defense Information Infrastructure
  Common Operating Environment
• CTSF Central Technical Support Facility
• USMTF United States Message Text Format
• JVMF Joint Variable Message Format
• VVA Verification, Validation Accreditation