An agent-based approach towards network-enabled capabilities – I: Simulation validation and illustrative examples

Abstract

This paper presents an approach to understanding network-enabled operations using agent-based simulations. We describe the newly created agent-based software ABSNEC (Agent-Based System for Network Enabled Capabilities), highlighting some of its salient features: the ability to represent human factors towards the analysis of battle outcomes in network operations, and the ability to represent realistic force structures with tiered C2 architectures. We provide affirmative results of three validation techniques to date on the model. Finally, we demonstrate the utilization of ABSNEC to acquire meaningful insights for analysis through two examples: a study on the interrelationship between fratricide, human factors, and situation awareness; and the generation of alternative combat strategies for a military engagement.

Keywords

agent-based model network-enabled capabilities/operations human factors military operations research model validation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Craig

Morales

Oliver

. USS Vincennes incident. M.I.T. Aeronautics & Astronautics, Spring 2004.

National Defence Canada. Tarnac farm board of inquiry final report. Ottawa: National Defence Canada. 19 June 2002.

McIntosh

Galligan

Anderson

. MANA (Map Aware Non-Uniform Automata) Version 4 User Manual. DTA Technical Note 2007/3, NR 1465, May 2007.

Ilachinski

, Irreducible semi-autonomous adaptive combat (ISAAC): an artificial-life approach to land combat. Mil Oper Res 2000; 5(3): 29–46.

Yang

Curtis

Abbass

. WISDOM II: A network centric model for warfare. Canberra: ANU E Press, 2006, Ch 8: pp. 149–173.

Millikan

Brennan

White

. BactoWars project brief. Unclassified. Edinburgh: Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Land Operations Division, 1996.

Railsback

Lytinen

Jackson

. Agent-based simulation platforms: review and development recommendations. Simulation 2006; 82: 609–623.

Futuremath Ltd and Simulenz Ltd. ABSNEC user manual. Auckland, 2011.

Balci

. Verification, validation, and testing. In: Banks

(ed.) The handbook of simulation. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998, Ch 10, pp. 335–393.

10.

Horne

. Data farming for Canada. Presentation at the Naval Postgraduate School. Arlington, February 2011.

11.

Cioppa

Lucas

. Efficient nearly orthogonal and space-filling Latin hypercubes. Technometrics 2007; 49(1): 45–55.

12.

Lanchester

. Mathematics in warfare. In: Newman

(ed.) The world of mathematics, Vol. 4’ New York: Simon and Schuster, 1956, pp. 2138–2157.

13.

Przemieniecki

. Mathematical methods in defense analyses. Washington, DC: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2000.

14.

Helmbold

. The constant fallacy: a persistent logical flaw in applications of Lanchester’s equations. Eur J Oper Res 1994; 75(3): 647–658.

15.

Engel

. A verification of Lanchester’s law. J Oper Res Soc Amer 1954; 2(2): 163–171.

16.

. Complexity analysis. Presentation at TTCP JSA, Melbourne, Australia, 2006.

17.

United States Department of the Army. Investigation into civilian casualties resulting from an engagement on 12 July 2007 in the New Baghdad District of Baghdad, Iraq. Washington DC: United States: United States Central Command, 2007.

18.

Perry

. Network-based operations for the Swedish Forces. Santa Monaca: RAND, 2005.

19.

Topp

Lefrançois

Stuart

. Networked Underwater Warfare: Q299B Engineering Trial Hot Wash, CFAV Quest, NRC Convair 580; 5–11 September 2006. Defence R&D Canada – Atlantic. DRDC-ATLANTIC-TM-2006–271, July 2006.