Working in the Virtual Environment Practical Experience

The Battlefield network of men and machines network of men and machines composed of Army, Navy, AF, Marines composed of Army, Navy, AF, Marines composed of NATO, coalition forces composed of NATO, coalition forces all must execute missions collaboratively all must execute missions collaboratively –location of friends and foes –identification of current tactical capability of each –coordination across all organizational tiers –tactical decisions that support strategic goals a logistics / supply system that a logistics / supply system that –provides infrastructure (roads, bridges, airfields, buildings) –provides supplies (food, medical, fuel, ammo) –provides maintenance (repair parts, diagnostics, support)

The Development Team multinational members (international standards committees) multinational members (international standards committees) joint forces (Army, Navy, AF, Marines) joint forces (Army, Navy, AF, Marines) multiple R&D centers (armaments, missiles, automotive, etc.) multiple R&D centers (armaments, missiles, automotive, etc.) constantly changing requirements (Vietnam, Cold War, Iraq) constantly changing requirements (Vietnam, Cold War, Iraq) thousands of development partners, suppliers, mfr’s thousands of development partners, suppliers, mfr’s –located throughout the world –all with different schedules –all with different levels of commitment –all funded from different sources

Old Approach make each weapon better than your enemy’s make each weapon better than your enemy’s –the best tank –the best rocket –the best fighter airplane –the best artillery piece make each weapon capable of operating autonomously make each weapon capable of operating autonomously –give it its own sensors –give it a large ammo capacity –give it its own targeting algorithms –give it redundant weapons for varied threats design and build it with one team at one location design and build it with one team at one location –expensive and slow –optimized for a specific enemy –unable to operate in a multinational networked battlefield

New Approach the battlefield as a system of systems the battlefield as a system of systems each weapon system dependent on the others each weapon system dependent on the others each weapon system modeled prior to building prototypes each weapon system modeled prior to building prototypes models run in battlefield simulations to eval performance models run in battlefield simulations to eval performance simulation network is distributed across all R&D centers simulation network is distributed across all R&D centers each center provides weapon system models as req’d each center provides weapon system models as req’d each center provides developer expertise as req’d each center provides developer expertise as req’d

The Challenge hundreds of scientists and engineers working together hundreds of scientists and engineers working together –developing common network interfaces –operating on common battlefield terrains –using compatible computers, O/S, languages, databases, etc massive configuration control issues massive configuration control issues colossal resource (people / equipment) scheduling issues colossal resource (people / equipment) scheduling issues continuous discussion to determine the path forward continuous discussion to determine the path forward

The Result we struggled with the available tools we struggled with the available tools – –phone calls –travel to meetings we needed the next generation of tools we needed the next generation of tools –blogs –wikis –twitter we needed the next level of training we needed the next level of training –social networking in a business environment –awareness of virtual team challenges and capabilities –system engineering in a highly virtual environment