An Initial Investigation of Concepts of Command and Control using an Agent Based Approach

Ivan Burke

October 2010

Overview

• Definitions• Basic opinions about C2• Common C2 models• Previous attempts at C2 modelling• Apply C2 model using agents• Video demos

Definition of C2

• The U.S. military defines C2 as “Ability of effectively using available resources, planning the employment of, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling military forces for the accomplishment of assigned missions

• SANDF Definition. Command and Control Warfare is the military strategy that implements information warfare on the battlefield. Its objective is to decapitate the enemy’s command structure from its body of command forces.

Statements about C2 that we have gathered over the past 2 years

• C2 is unsolvable• C2 is only about communication

optimization• C2 is an expense• Our C2 is superior to opponent C2.• We are losing the C2 war• To my mind Alberts is the only good author

when it comes to C2• No clue, but give me a rule and I can try to

implement it

Alberts OODA Loop

Tim Grant’s Adapted OODA Loop

2-side view of OODA Loop

Attempt 1

• CapDev Project• C2 seen as expense (time)• General opinion our C2 superior• C2 function of probability time delay

Attempt 2

Attempt 2

Attempt 2 (Critique)

• Losing focus of goal• Modelling Air force specific communication

channels for isolated event and scenario

Attempt 3 (Swarming)

• We realized that we needed higher form of abstraction

• What are core benefits• Identify simplistic core rules to apply• Equal opertunity

Videos

• Rules• Red vs Blue• 100 HP• 10 DPS• 15 unit range• Swarm to the centre• Last man standing wins

Agent OODA loop

Videos

• Experiment 1 – No C2

Videos

• Experiment 2 – Decentralized

Videos

• Experiment 3 – Centralized

Videos

• Experiment 4 – Centralized and Decentralized

Questions