Validation of the mission-based approach to representing command and control in simulation models of conflict

Abstract

There is a need to represent military command and control in closed-form simulation models of conflict, in order to compare investment in such capability with alternative defence investments. This paper considers such representation of military command and control in the context of embodied cognitive science. This means that we represent such processes in terms of both decision-making and resultant behaviour. Previous work leads to the view that such a representation can be captured by a combination of deliberate (top down) planning and rapid (bottom up) planning. We have developed an approach on these lines as a way of representing human decision-making and behaviour in conflict. Here we show, by comparing simulation model results with real conflict situations, that our approach yields emergent force behaviour which is valid and representative. This thus increases our confidence that our representation of command and control in such simulation models is sufficient for our requirements.

Keywords:

• military
• defence studies
• simulation
• decision-making

Important note: In scientific analysis of this sort, concerned with casualties and death, deaths are dispassionately counted as one would count atoms, temperature or any other quantifiable entities in standard scientific endeavour. However, the practical purpose of analysis such as this is to expose to decision-makers the consequences of their actions, and in this the human consequences must also be considered.

© British Crown copyright - Dstl 2004 - published with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Important note: In scientific analysis of this sort, concerned with casualties and death, deaths are dispassionately counted as one would count atoms, temperature or any other quantifiable entities in standard scientific endeavour. However, the practical purpose of analysis such as this is to expose to decision-makers the consequences of their actions, and in this the human consequences must also be considered.

© British Crown copyright - Dstl 2004 - published with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.