Military Simulation

[NOTE: Freewriting first draft for the "Military Modeling" chapter of the upcoming book, Dynamic Modeling, edited by Paul Fishwick, to be published by CRC Press in 2006.]

The United States military has made its own unique definitions of the terms “modeling” and “simulation.” For their purposes, modeling is often defined as, “a descriptive, functional, or physical representation of a system” (NSC, 2000). These representations may take the form of a mathematic equation, a logical algorithm, a three-dimensional digital image, or a partial physical mock-up of the system. Models are applied so widely that the variety of systems of interest is almost without bounds. In these systems military weapons systems are usually very prominently represented, to include land, air, and sea vehicles; communications and radar equipment; hand-held weapons; and individual soldiers. But models also represent the decision-making process and automated information processing that occur inside the human brain and within battlefield computers. They extend to representations of the environment that is made up of terrain, vegetation, cultural features, the atmosphere, ocean, and RF environment. Different combinations of these are needed in order to accurately represent potential military situations.

One military definition of simulation is, “a system or model that represents activities and interactions over time. A simulation may be fully automated, or it may be interactive or interruptible” (NSC, 2000). This definition attempts to encompass human-in-the-loop simulators for training, as well as systems that serve as analytical tools for computing outcomes without the aid of a human participant.

The official categorization of the use of models and simulation within the military is to divide them into three large application groups.

The first is for use in “requirements and acquisition”. In these applications, models are used to provide insight into the cost and performance of military equipment, processes, or missions that are planned for the future. These use scientific inquiry to discover or revise facts and theories of phenomena, followed by transformation of these discoveries into physical representations.

The second category is in exploring “advanced concepts”. These models present military systems and situations in a form that allows the military to conduct concept exploration and trade studies into alternatives. These trade studies often explore multiple variations on a new weapon or tactic and attempt to measure the effectiveness of each of them. The result is a general appreciation for the different options available and some rough measure for ranking them. The models may be used to understand physical weapons or equipment, but they may also explore different processes for organizing and executing a mission. These require an understanding of processes and the interactions that occur between different steps in their processes. The models assist the military in creating its doctrine of operations, constructing its internal organization, and selecting materials for acquisition.

The third category is in “training and development”. Models that are embedded in a simulation system are used to stimulate individuals and groups of personnel with specific military scenarios. The goal is to determine the degree to which they have learned to execute the doctrines they have been taught. It also gives them the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and to determine how useful these might be in a real warfighting situation. All of this can be done in a controlled environment that is free of life threatening situations that are part of real combat operations.

Finally, it should be noted that military modeling and simulation has always been the basis for a large segment of entertainment products. Many of the modeling concepts behind paper board-wargaming in the 1950’s were developed simultaneously by the RAND Corporation for serious military training and by Charles Roberts at the Avalon Hill game company for popular entertainment (Perla, 1990). This trend has continued for over fifty years and can be seen today in comparing realistic three-dimensional military training systems and the very active computer gaming industry. Systems like America’s Army provide an environment for experimentation and training in the military, a device to enhance Army recruitment and education about the military lifestyle, and a game for use by anyone looking for a little excitement in their free time.