Main Subcommittee Category
SimulationHow would you label your submission?
IndustryAbstract
The Department of Homeland Security has a strong interest in utilizing innovative simulation tools for training personnel on how to best plan the distribution and utilization of resources along the border in order to contain and prevent incidents. In this paper a desktop simulation capability for supporting border patrol personnel training is presented. It operates on a typical laptop computer and it therefore enables training opportunities for a large number of agents in the field. A visualization driver allows the user to select the part of the border where the incidents will take place. Data driven information is used for setting up the available resources (e.g. air, water and ground assets in the field; border patrol stations with varying capacity, deployable assets and coverage, etc.) and the adversarial threats (e.g. strength, speed, capabilities, etc.). Cost data are associated with the amount, the readiness and the capabilities of the allocated resources, providing cost information for each simulated scenario. The simulation is visualized and the user can observe the evolution of the incidents, the engagements between adversaries and border patrol agents while assessing the effectiveness of the defensive layout and use of assets. This is achieved by conducting probabilistic computations in parallel with the visual display. The latter consider all possible ways that threats can accomplish their objectives and compute the probability of success of the threats, which is the opposite of the border patrol effectiveness. The match-up between the capabilities and strengths of the adversaries vs the defense is considered in the computations at every action taken by an adversary towards an objective. Detection of threats is also accounted in the analysis. By providing information about the cost and the effectiveness against adversarial actions, trainees discover the most efficient approaches for hardening the border as they visually observe the incidents.