Advanced Combat Simulation for More Effective Anti-Terrorist Operations

Current computer combat simulation software offers a sophisticated and high fidelity platform in terms of modeling and accurate results.  However, simulation development towards insurgent, terrorist, and other asymmetric warfare has lagged due to difficulties in managing the complexity and variety of these types of situations as well as relative historical lack of interest in these scenarios.   At the same time, the general state of world affairs has changed so that these situations are the major threat faced by the United States.  This trend will likely increase, as information technology increases the recruitment and control of hostile elements, and high-tech weapons become easier to acquire.     This project will address several areas of improvement necessary to model these actions using existing wargame software.  It will model the effects of the weapons (including improvised) and hostile forces themselves (including command and control capabilities, tactics, and ability to inflict damage from a distance).  Additional work will focus on the role of civilians, detection of radioactive sources, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI).  The AI will be capable of both acting on behalf of a non-standard force, as well as countering the actions of one in command of a conventional power.    BENEFIT: The primary benefits of the proposed improvements will be that existing and future combat simulations and computer wargames will be more accurate in terms of friendly and enemy force actions, and will allow for a wider range of events including asymmetric and terrorist actions.  Additionally, the software will offer more challenges to players, civilian and military alike, making it more enjoyable to play.  All of which will increase the overall use of the software, no matter how it is being employed.  For example as entertainment, as a training tool, as an evaluation vehicle for weapons system or tactics development, as a showcase for the effectiveness of new technologies, or even as the basis for further research and development into the next generation of simulation software.  The commercial benefits are more enjoyable computer games leading to increased sales, as well as offering simulation developers the opportunity to lower development costs by using the enhanced computer models as-is, or with quick and easy changes.  For example, the same software can be used equally well in an entertainment wargame to model the WWII D-day invasion as modern operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Or, when used as a professional or occupational tool the same code can model the detection of radioactive material coming though a port in a container ship or an attack on a nuclear plant.