Knowledge is Power – Representing Complexity in the Information Age
(Room S320B)
27 Nov 18
3:00 PM
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3:30 PM
Thales UK undertook self-funded research and development (SFR&D) to explore the nature of the changing operational environment, and options for supporting training systems. This paper seeks to describe the information problem space; first from an operational and doctrine viewpoint to determine how the operating environment is described and understood, and which principles are advocated for the conduct of operations within it. It describes the need to train military decision makers to obtain and maintain understanding of an evolving information environment; to identify relevant audiences whose behaviours, perceptions, and attitudes are to be affected, and to make informed decisions in the employment of capability for effect. Secondly, the problem space is described from a training and force-readiness perspective; suggesting how training could be improved by integrating models that provide a dynamic context to simulated operations. It considers how forces can develop and maintain this operational superiority, and why these complex synthetic training environments are an important discriminator for modern armed forces’ training in the Information Age. Finally, the paper introduces initial concept development and experimentation activities to explore candidate methods for the future rapid modelling of dynamic contexts from raw data. It is proposed that the application of these techniques could be used to deliver tooling or services to enable training for the full spectrum of military effect; by credibly representing all aspects of global operating environments.