Multi-National Cultural Difference Modeling

As demonstrated with recent engagements, US forces will not go into combat alone. Multinational coalition forces will be the norm and our forces must flexibly adapt to the command and control (C2) environment with the newly formed team. Whether a neighbor or long time ally with similar but distinctly separate C2 styles or a geographically separated ally with little common C2 techniques, the end product must be the same; a seamless C2 system capable of allowing the decision maker to correctly assess the situation via sensors and to relay his intentions to the shooter in a timely and correct fashion. The presence of multinational cultural differences presents barriers to successful coalition command and control. These cultural differences must be understood, modeled, and simulated to provide an effective decision support system that can be utilized in a multinational coalition environment. 21st Century Systems, Inc teaming with the University of Hawai`i are proposing to extend the realtime tactical decision support capability inherent in the AEDGE family of products by including modeling and simulation of cultural differences. Once implemented, the Multinational Cultural Differences Modeling could easily assist Operational, Theater or Tactical decision making in a number of environments being supported by coalition forces.