Network Awareness for Wireless Peer-to-Peer Collaborative Environments

Presentation to the 37th Hawaii International Conference on System Science. Hilton Waikoloa Village, Island of Hawaii, 5-8 January 2004.The implications of using mobile wireless communications are significant for emerging peer-to-peer (P2P) collaborative environments. From a networking perspective, the use of wireless technologies to support collaboration may impact bandwidth and spectrum utilization. This paper explores the effects of providing feedback to system users regarding wireless P2P network behavior on the performance of collaboration support applications. We refer to this operational feedback as "network awareness." The underlying premise is that providing feedback on the status of the network will enable users to self-organize their behavior to maintain quality of data sharing. Results achieved during an experiment conducted at the Naval Postgraduate School demonstrate significant effects of roaming on application sharing performance and integration with client-server applications. A solution for improving network aware P2P collaboration, identified in the experiment, is discussed

Innovative Measures for the Evaluation of Command and Control Architectures

Proceedings for the 1998 Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium Command and Control for the Next Millenium June 29-July1, 1998 Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California Track 1 ArchitecturesSeveral principles of warfare have been developed through experience over time. These principles provide a framework that can be used to assess model-derived command and control architectures from a military perspective. This paper will dis-cuss and present analysis of data collected on participants’ ratings of three model-based archi-tectures on the principles of warfare to determine quantitative differences among the architectures. Comparisons of these ratings with critical dimen-sions used by modelers to optimize the architec-tures will be discussed, including feedback provid-ed during after-action reviews from military personnel who operated under these organizational architectures when responding to computer-driven scenarios. The objective was to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the three model-derived architectures vis-à- vis military principles.Cognitive and Neural Science Technology Division of ON

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

The Scientific Method of Choosing Model Fidelity

Simulation modeling currently enjoys great popularity as a tool for solving problems within Department of Defense activities. In this work we consider the process of upgrading an existing simulation model by increasing the fidelity of the model. The submodels to be upgraded and the degree to which they are upgraded should be chosen in a coherent, scientific manner. This is currently not the norm. In this work we describe a method which a simulation analyst can use to choose from a set of proposed model upgrades that accounts for both the costs of the upgrades as well as the benefits

Graphical displays of synchronization of tactical units

Synchronization is a major tenet of US Army Doctrine. This report presents computer graphic displays of the synchronization of tactical size units. These displays should prove useful in critiquing the performance of units during force on force training, and in highlighting possible areas for improvement in use of basic tactics.TRAC-Montereyhttp://archive.org/details/graphicaldisplay00larsTRAC-MontereyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Computer Visualization of Battlefield Tenets

The Battle Enhanced Analysis Methodologies (BEAM) project was designed to investigate the use of computer graphics in describing the performance of battalion-sized units in simulated combat. These descriptions were to be data-based and objective, providing useful critiques of actual performance according to standard Army doctrine. They would be natural candidates for use at the Army's Combat Training Centers. The first year's effort demonstrated objective graphic displays that portray the destructive potential of direct fire weapons in the defense (described in 1,2,4,5). These displays allow straightforward objective comparisons of different defensive alignments, and, from simulated battle runs, of defensive fire control strategies. These references also describe simple uncluttered displays that portray the movements and interactions of company (or higher) sized units throughout a battle. This report describes further results of the BEAM project. The initial displays were specifically derived for direct fire weapons in the defense; a major development is the extension to displays for indirect fire weapons in the defensive. This allows separate and joint examination of the direct and indirect fire destruction potential, providing, among other things, objective measures of the synchronization and agility of a force, as well as indicators of its intelligence function.TRAC Montereyhttp://archive.org/details/computervisualiz00kempRKQHLApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Application of the Modular Command and Control Structure (MCES) to Marine Corps SINCGARS allocation

The Modular Command and Control Evaluation Structure (MCES), contains seven steps for the evaluation of C3 systems. In this paper the application of these steps is described in general. Then their potential application to Marine Corps POM C3 issues is discussed in general terms. Finally the more detailed applications to the allocation of Marine Corps tactical voice radios is discussed. An object-oriented model developed at NPS is briefly describedhttp://archive.org/details/applicationofmod00soveN

Analysis of Team Communications in “Human-in-the-Loop” Experiments in Joint Command and Control

1999 Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium (CCRTS), June 29 - July 1, 1999, U.S. Naval War College, Rhode IslandSuccessful mission accomplishment depends on more than individual skills and knowledge. Communication is essential to team performance in complex tasks. Interaction processes that occur via team communications are critical for appropriate use of individual resources, especially when situations call for sharing resources and coordinated responses. This paper reports on results of an analysis of team communications to document the extent to which specific communication behaviors can be identified as indicative of high performance in teams who participated in Experiment Four under the Adaptive Architectures for Command and Control (A2C2) research program. Recently emerging findings on teamwork skills that characterize high performing teams were used as an organizing framework to examine team communications. Team communications can represent several important aspects of team performance such as shared situation awareness and coordination. High- and low-performing teams were identified using composite performance scores. Transcripts of videotaped scenario play were coded by two independent raters. Our goal was to examine the degree to which A2C2 participant teams exhibit cognitive behaviors reported to characterize highly successful teams and examine the relationship of these behaviors to mission performance

Knowledge Management and Collaboration in an Effects-Based Operations Environment

In Proceedings of the 7th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium, Loews Le Concorde Hotel, Quebec City Canada, September 16-20, 2002.New warfighting concepts are currently under development to improve the ability of future Joint Force Commanders to rapidly and decisively conduct particularly challenging and important operational missions as they transition to the fighting force described in Joint Vision 2020. This paper describes one element that is part of these new concepts: knowledge management and collaboration as conducted to support effects-based operations. Collaboration offers great potential to better enable warfighters to plan, monitor, execute, and assess activities across the spectrum of joint functional areas. Collaboration is also essential to develop a shared situational awareness among heterogeneous, distributed team members. Effects-based operations is defined as a “process for obtaining a desired strategic outcome, or ‘effect’ on the enemy, through the synergistic and cumulative application of the full range of national (military and nonmilitary) capabilities at all levels of conflict." This paper reports on the results of a survey administered during an experiment conducted to help refine the effects-based planning process. Suggestions for improving knowledge management include developing business rules for working in a collaborative information environment and improved display capabilities to help planners track information and documents during different phases of the planning process.The research reported here was sponsored by the U.S. Joint Forces Command, J9, Joint Experimentation Center, Suffolk, VA