Computer-based Tool for Information Flow Analysis of a Complex and Adaptive Theater Warfare System

In complex command and control architectures, warfighters must clearly understand the impact of information flow on information management and decision-making processes. To cope with rapidly changing mission environments, complex, information-rich theater warfare systems must adapt their information structure (who should know what, and when) to survive and dominate the battlespace. The Information Flow and Analysis tools we plan to develop to support the analysis and design of human-system adaptive architectures are intended for both the commander and the designer. Our focus is on tool enhancement rather than tool building and on model integration rather than model development. Our human-centered approach, based on a blend of proven system modeling techniques combined with an existing set of C2 visualization and simulation tools, provides a low-risk, high-payoff solution with a short development cycle allowing computer-based modeling tools to be rapidly placed in the hands of the commanders and the designers of theater warfare systems. Aptima and its team partners for this project, Klien Associates and Micro Analysis and Design, have the collective experience to demonstrate the prototype of such a tool in Phase I, and deliver the complete set of Information Flow and Analysis Tools in Phase II.