Knowledge visualizations: a tool to achieve optimized operational decision making and data integration

The overabundance of data created by modern information systems (IS) has led to a breakdown in cognitive decision-making. Without authoritative source data, commanders’ decision-making processes are hindered as they attempt to paint an accurate shared operational picture (SOP). Further impeding the decision-making process is the lack of proper interface interaction to provide a visualization that aids in the extraction of the most relevant and accurate data. Utilizing the DSS to present visualizations based on OLAP cube integrated data allow decision-makers to rapidly glean information and build their situation awareness (SA). This yields a competitive advantage to the organization while in garrison or in combat. Additionally, OLAP cube data integration enables analysis to be performed on an organization’s data-flows. This analysis is used to identify the critical path of data throughout the organization. Linking a decision-maker to the authoritative data along this critical path eliminates the many decision layers in a hierarchal command structure that can introduce latency or error into the decision-making process. Furthermore, the organization has an integrated SOP from which to rapidly build SA, and make effective and efficient decisions.http://archive.org/details/knowledgevisuali1094545877Outstanding ThesisOutstanding ThesisMajor, United States Marine CorpsCaptain, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Application of Executable Architecture in Early Concept Evaluation using the DoD Architecture Framework

The increasing complexity in the development of today\u27s modern warfighting systems demands a systematic evaluation approach in the assessment of the envisaged capability and estimating the cost effectiveness, especially in the early stages of Concept Development. This research focused on the development of early Concept evaluation methodology through the use of Executable Architecture (EA) through the System Architecting process. Particularly, the methodology was applied in the assessment of a proposed Multi-tiered Unmanned Aircraft System System-of-System that is designed provide target acquisition and conduct dynamic strike on Theater Ballistic Missile launchers. Through the implementation of the evaluation methodology using dynamic modeling of the system-under-design, the research was able to provide quantitative assessment of different design parameters on the overall system effectiveness, as measured using a set of pre-determined Measures-of-Effectiveness. Specifically, Innoslate was used to develop the EA model of a fictitious multi-tier Unmanned Aircraft System System-of-Systems, and provided quantitative assessment of the overall system performance due to changes in the design parameters. Specification, the research showed that the proposed evaluation methodology provides system architects with the tool to 1) evaluate different design parameters, 2) understand the overall system capability given sub-system capabilities, and 3) determine sub-system requirement given desired system performance

What is a Good Plan? Cultural Variations in Expert Planners’ Concepts of Plan Quality

This article presents the results of a field research study examining commonalities and differences between American and British operational planners’ mental models of planning. We conducted Cultural Network Analysis (CNA) interviews with 14 experienced operational planners in the US and UK. Our results demonstrate the existence of fundamental differences between the way American and British expert planners conceive of a high quality plan. Our results revealed that the American planners’ model focused on specification of action to achieve synchronization, providing little autonomy at the level of execution, and included the belief that increasing contingencies reduces risk. The British planners’ model stressed the internal coherence of the plan, to support shared situational awareness and thereby flexibility at the level of execution. The British model also emphasized the belief that reducing the number of assumptions decreases risk. Overall, the American ideal plan serves a controlling function, whereas the British ideal plan supports an enabling function. Interestingly, both the US and UK would view the other’s ideal plan as riskier than their own. The implications of cultural models of plans and planning are described for establishing performance measures and designing systems to support multinational planning teams

Global Title X Series \u2713: Game Report

The Chief of Naval Operations’ (CNO’s) annual Title 10 War Game (also known as Global) conducted at the Naval War College (NWC) has become a primary venue for exploring emerging concepts. This year’s effort is a continuation of the NWC War Gaming Department’s examination of the Air-Sea Battle (ASB) concept. The 2012 Global War Game concluded that current command and control (C2) structures at the operational level of war may be inadequate to effectively execute cross-domain operations as envisioned by the concept. While the ASB concept outlines the need to command and control ‘cross-domain operations’ which are joint, networked and integrated, no organizational structure is proposed. The concept only suggests that any suitable structure must be capable of tight, real-time coordination

Chapter 26 Interaction in Aerial Warfare

"This chapter explores the leadership practices of Mission Commanders. The major focus is on key features in leadership practices that contribute to effective samhandling in the execution of Composite Air Operations and handling of unexpected events. “Aerial warfare” is the term used to describe the use of military aircraft and other aeronautical equipment in warfare. Air power has become the preferred instrument for politicians and commanders to achieve strategic and operational objectives across a spectrum of conflicts, ranging from humanitarian aid to combat action. Air campaigns like OD/UP and MINUSMA are conducted through a series of parallel and sequential Composite Air Operations (COMAO). COMAO is the term used when dissimilar types of aircraft interact in coordinated actions to achieve defined military objectives within a given time and geographical area. The study indicates that joint practice and a joint process for learning and leadership play vital roles in the successful conduct of COMAO in war. Joint practice during exercises like RED FLAG provides the opportunity to develop the interactional skills that are needed in modern aerial warfare. Important principles in joint practice are that you train as you fight, you experience a progression in challenge and that all participants participate in the exchange of ideas and lessons learned.

MEASURING SUCCESS IN THE HUMAN DOMAIN: REFLECTIONS FROM THE CIVIL AFFAIRS FORCE

Although the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) has deployed worldwide to combat violent extremism and counter strategic competitors since 2006, it does not have a clear process to measure the effectiveness of tactical-level Civil Affairs Operations (CAO). A lack of measures of effectiveness (MOE) for CAO is due to several basic challenges: 1) Lack of a Civil Affairs doctrinal foundation for MOEs; 2) lack of clear mission statements for deploying teams to help formulate MOEs; 3) lack of effective internal and external Civil Affairs communications to standardize MOEs; and 4) lack of adequate personnel, training, funding, and analytic tools for Civil Affairs Teams (CAT) to monitor and evaluate MOEs. Based on 18 interviews with Civil Affairs practitioners—from senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) to field grade officers—this thesis examines the barriers that CATs face in developing and implementing MOEs during mission planning and execution. This thesis also provides recommendations for CATs and the Civil Affairs leadership to address and overcome these barriers by developing MOEs to evaluate tactical and operational mission progress. Furthermore, the authors identify deficiencies in doctrine and recommend the creation of doctrine-specific to SOF Civil Affairs.Major, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Viewfinder: final activity report

The VIEW-FINDER project (2006-2009) is an 'Advanced Robotics' project that seeks to apply a semi-autonomous robotic system to inspect ground safety in the event of a fire. Its primary aim is to gather data (visual and chemical) in order to assist rescue personnel. A base station combines the gathered information with information retrieved from off-site sources. The project addresses key issues related to map building and reconstruction, interfacing local command information with external sources, human-robot interfaces and semi-autonomous robot navigation. The VIEW-FINDER system is a semi-autonomous; the individual robot-sensors operate autonomously within the limits of the task assigned to them, that is, they will autonomously navigate through and inspect an area. Human operators monitor their operations and send high level task requests as well as low level commands through the interface to any nodes in the entire system. The human interface has to ensure the human supervisor and human interveners are provided a reduced but good and relevant overview of the ground and the robots and human rescue workers therein

Self-management Framework for Mobile Autonomous Systems

The advent of mobile and ubiquitous systems has enabled the development of autonomous systems such as wireless-sensors for environmental data collection and teams of collaborating Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs) used in missions unsuitable for humans. However, with these range of new application domains comes a new challenge – enabling self-management in mobile autonomous systems. The primary challenge in using autonomous systems for real-life missions is shifting the burden of management from humans to these systems themselves without loss of the ability to adapt to failures, changes in context, and changing user requirements. Autonomous systems have to be able to manage themselves individually as well as to form self-managing teams that are able to recover or adapt to failures, protect themselves from attacks and optimise performance. This thesis proposes a novel distributed policy-based framework that enables autonomous systems to perform self management individually and as a team. The framework allows missions to be specified in terms of roles in an adaptable and reusable way, enables dynamic and secure team formation with a utility-based approach for optimal role assignment, caters for communication link maintenance among team members and recovery from failure. Adaptive management is achieved by employing an architecture that uses policy-based techniques to allow dynamic modification of the management strategy relating to resources, role behaviour, team and communications management, without reloading the basic software within the system. Evaluation of the framework shows that it is scalable with respect to the number of roles, and consequently the number of autonomous systems participating in the mission. It is also shown to be optimal with respect to role assignments, and robust to intermittent communication link disconnections and permanent team-member failures. The prototype implementation was tested on mobile robots as a proof-ofconcept demonstration

An Investigation of ISR Coordination and Information Presentation Strategies to Support Expeditionary Strike Groups

12th ICCRTS, Adapting C2 to the 21st CenturyThis paper describes a planned experiment based on the combined research of the Adaptive Architectures for Command and Control (A2C2) and the Command-21 programs, both of which are sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. In line with the theme of this year’s symposium, “Adapting C2 to the 21st Century,” in this research we focus on the nexus of organizational design and information presentation strategies — both of which are undergoing dramatic changes in form and function within the US military. The formation of Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs) provides one example of the transformational vision provided in the Naval Operating Concept where Strike Groups offer the potential to revolutionize naval warfare in the littoral region. The ESG provides a flexible force package, capable of tailoring itself to accomplish a wide variety of mission sets. In this effort, we seek to explore how ESGs with alternative structures and processes, in this case specifically related to incorporation of an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) officer and different information presen-tation strategies, can affect performance and information flow in an information rich planning and execution environment

An Analysis of Multi-domain Command and Control and the Development of Software Solutions through DevOps Toolsets and Practices

Multi-Domain Command and Control (MDC2) is the exercise of command and control over forces in multiple operational domains (namely air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace) in order to produce synergistic effects in the battlespace, and enhancing this capability has become a major focus area for the United States Air Force (USAF). In order to meet demands for MDC2 software, solutions need to be acquired and/or developed in a timely manner, information technology infrastructure needs to be adaptable to new software requirements, and user feedback needs to drive iterative updates to fielded software. In commercial organizations, agile software development methodologies and concepts such as DevOps have been implemented to meet these demands. However, the USAF has been slow to adopt modern agile software development concepts such as DevOps in favor of traditional software development lifecycles and large contracts that can go nearly a decade without any value being released to the users. This work explores MDC2 software use cases and aims to show that MDC2 software can be successfully developed using modern agile software development practices in a timely manner