As non-kinetic warfare evolves, simulations are taking revolutionary steps forward to keep pace. Currently, a vast majority of attrition simulations synchronize on causal effects associated with tactical interactions. Truly revolutionary approaches bridge kinetic actions with their correlations outside of the tactical realm to provide a holistic view.
Modeling these interactions pose significant challenges for simulation developers. This paper describes a bridging technology explored by J9, the Experimentation Directorate of USJFCOM, to interface aspects of an attrition simulation, JSAF, with a behavior simulation, the Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Simulation (SEAS). Enabled by this shared virtual environment, geographies and events from the real-world are generated based on published scholarly research and open source data. This research provides the means to develop a realistic model of population behavior consisting of population density, demographics, culture, and beliefs.
Virtual agents are programmed with characteristics that replicate the behavior of individuals in given communities. Curious or volatile crowds emerge through micro-macro linkages of individual and group behaviors. In turn, group behaviors trigger macro-micro linkages that affect individual behaviors.
JSAF is used to provide the kinetic aspects of activities at the entity level within a city. SEAS generates the Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information and Infrastructure (PMESII) impacts of such activities at local, national, and global levels. A SEAS-JSAF bridge facilitates the military decision-making process in complex urban environments, providing situational awareness of urban warfare and the effects of crowds on military operations. Various paths to outcome can result from a planner's inputs and the emergent behavior of agents. Additionally, decision superiority is enabled through rapid and enlightened experimentation involving military and civilian operations. By allowing planners to conduct a virtual rehearsal, innovative courses of action can be developed to influence crowd behavior and implement effective countermeasures.