Dynamic allocation of fires and sensors (DAFS): A low-resolution simulation for rapid modeling

Abstract

High-resolution combat models have become so complex that the time necessary to create and analyze a scenario has become unacceptably long. A lower resolution approach to entity-level simulation can complement such models. This paper presents Dynamic Allocation of Fires and Sensors (DAFS), a low-resolution, constructive entity-level simula- tion framework, that can be rapidly configured and exe- cuted. Through the use of a loosely-coupled component ar- chitecture, DAFS is extremely flexible and configurable. DAFS allows an analyst to very quickly create a simulation model that captures the first-order effects of a scenario. Al- though the modeling of entities is done at a low-resolution, DAFS contains some sophisticated capabilities: within the model, commander entities can formulate and solve opti- mization problems dynamically. DAFS can be used to ex- plore large areas of the parameter space and identify inter- esting regions where high-resolution models can provide more detailed information.