Invited Speaker: Department of Defense Modeling and Simulation: An Introduction to Facets of Environmental Support

.This presentation provides an overview of the important responsibilities to answer the question of how to tackle the task of helping the Air and Space Natural Environment Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Executive Agent fulfill their responsibilities. It concludes with a proposed methodology to provide a truly integrated, seamless environment that includes air, space, oceans and terrain. A story of M&S--it begins with an understanding of the simulation community, the users and their requirements, what they hope to accomplish with computer simulation, and then describes what the environmental community must be prepared to do to help them as well as what they must do themselves.

Who are the users and what do they need? This was the first, and most important, step in the process. Get this part wrong, and the rest of the effort may be wasted. Unfortunately, this is frequently the hardest part for some people to grasp. To help ensure we “got it right,” we analyzed and captured the users’ requirements in terms they understood so that they can validate them. Before we leave this, it is also important [very important] to distinguish between simulation developer needs and end user needs. They are not the same. They both have requirements for environmental information, but developers have responsibilities to ensure that the information needed by the users can be incorporated into the simulation after it is fielded.

When you understand what is needed, the next logical step is to find out if “it” is available. Available means that the science is mature enough, and the capability and capacity to produce the needed information are “on call.” Sounds easy. Based on the results of these investigations, any shortfalls in “science, capability, or capacity” can be addressed and worked. This part of capabilities is from the view of the provider. The other part of capabilities that must also be present in order to be able to use this environmental information is a M&S responsibility. Understanding this distinction is also important and is a stumbling block for many.

Authoritative Representation (AR). What’s that? It is another important concept that must be understood, but most (both providers and users) have trouble with it. The authoritative representation of the natural environment information is the “one” resolution that is appropriate to the needs of the simulation for its intended purpose. The biggest and most common mistake made is with AR. Users know what they are trying to do, and they can usually explain it in their terms. At this point, the provider community tends to err and probe for detailed information on weather requirements–this is a mistake! Watch this space. The presentation will explain why.

An Integration Strategy. Finally, the presentation concludes with a proposal concentrating on putting all the pieces of the air and space and the other environmental domains, terrain and oceans, all together. This is our Integrated Natural Environment (INE) Authoritative Representation Process