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/ Journal Issues / Modeling and Simulation Special Edition: Wargaming / Air Force Research Laboratory Innovation – Pushing the Envelope in Analytical Wargaming

Air Force Research Laboratory Innovation – Pushing the Envelope in Analytical Wargaming

Published in Journal of Cyber Security and Information Systems
Volume: 4 Number: 3 - Modeling and Simulation Special Edition: Wargaming

Author: Jaime J. Bestard
Posted: 12/01/2016 | Leave a Comment

Introduction

The Air Force Research Laboratory has taken steps to revitalize wargaming across its Enterprise to evaluate the military utility of innovative technology concepts in combat. The integration of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) to improve the analytical rigor of wargames is a fundamental part of this effort. In a period of growing strategic challenges and increased fiscal pressure, analytical wargames offer a unique opportunity to evaluate the multi-dimensional capabilities of advanced technologies and overcome technology stovepipes. Concerns on how to operate freely in the primary Air Force domains (i.e., air, space and cyberspace), exploit big data, integrate autonomy, and provide Air Force and Department of Defense leadership with seamless command and control solutions are some of the many issues that can be explored through analytical wargames. Moreover, participation in analytical wargames offers Defense professionals a unique and synergistic opportunity to explore the realm of the possible with advanced technologies while sharpening their operational and strategic thinking skills.

Background

In February 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Mr. Robert O. Work, issued a memorandum to “revitalize” wargaming across the Department of Defense in light of the Defense Innovation Initiative (Third Offset Strategy). In his missive Mr. Work acknowledged that “wargames spur innovation” and “can potentially make the difference between wise and unwise investment trajectories and make our forces more successful in future conflicts”. This guidance, coupled with Air Force M&S initiatives in support of strategic developmental planning and experimentation, led the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Corporate Board to decide, in August 2015, to manage wargaming at the Enterprise level by:

  • Establishing a Wargaming Working Group and a corresponding governance structure,
  • Creating a vetted AFRL Concept Portfolio,
  • Forming a cadre of wargaming technologists,
  • Promoting the use of M&S in support of wargames.

Since then, the AFRL Enterprise has established a portfolio of technologies that support the Third Offset Strategy in the primary Air Force domains. In May 2016, the AFRL conducted a workshop to establish a baseline of its M&S capabilities supporting wargames. This initiative led to a general understanding of existing tools available to the Enterprise with the potential to influence wargame outcomes. With this in mind, the AFRL war-gaming staff has a vision to incorporate M&S products into game preparation, play, adjudication and analysis and provide an analytical foundation to our wargame outcomes. Most recently, in August 2016, the AFRL conducted the first of a series of events titled Futures Analytical Science and Technology (FAST) wargames with an emphasis on advanced technology concepts operating in an anti-access/area denial (A2AD) environment. This event had multiple objectives, among which was the integration of M&S products into different stages in the wargame process (e.g., concept development, scenario design, game play and adjudication, and post-game analyses).

Pages: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

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Disclaimer

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of those of the United States Air Force or the Department of Defense.

Endnotes

  1. e.g., speed, range, weight, fuel capacity, payload
  2. e.g., PS – probability of survival, PK – probability of kill, PK|H – probability of kill given a hit

References

  1. Ball, Robert E. 2003. The Fundamentals of Aircraft Combat Survivability Analysis and Design. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
  2. Davis, Paul K., and Amy Henninger. 2007. Analysis, Analysis Practices, and Implications for Modeling and Simulation. Occasional Paper, Santa Monica: RAND Corporation.
  3. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. 2009. DoD Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A). Instruction, Department of Defense.
  4. Work, Robert O. 2015. War on the Rocks. December 8. http://warontherocks.com/2015/12/revitalizing-wargaming-is-necessary-to-be-prepared-for-future-wars/.

Author

Jaime J. Bestard
Jaime J. Bestard
Jaime J. Bestard is a Plans and Programs Engineer with the Strategic Planning and Transformation Division, Headquarters AFRL. As a Plans and Programs Engineer, Mr. Bestard supports the development of options for the AFRL analytical agenda. He directly supports the AFRL future warfare analysis activities spanning wargaming and M&S. Mr. Bestard participates in war-gaming efforts from initial planning and preparation through game execution and application of results to shape AFRL Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy. Mr. Bestard graduated from the University of Florida in 2006 with a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, beginning his civilian career with the Air Force as a survivability engineer and managing numerous research, development, test and evaluation projects to ensure aerospace systems can persevere in combat. To accomplish his mission he led initiatives with international partners to develop and standardize vulnerability analysis tools under the auspices of The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP). Mr. Bestard was also a participant in the Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program (ESEP) from 2013 to 2015 embedded in the Italian General Secretariat of Defence and National Armaments Directorate. In this role, Mr. Bestard participated in policy development, as exemplified by the preparation of a Strategic Research Agenda geared toward emerging technologies to address operational capability gaps and by the shaping of the Italian position on research and development to support the European Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). He also conducted a study on robotics and nanotechnology for the Italian Military Centre for Strategic Studies (CeMiSS) commissioned by the Financial Planning Department of the Italian Army General Staff. Mr. Bestard has completed Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) and is Level III Engineering certified in the Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP).

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