The Future of Army Item-Level Modeling

Abstract : Battlefield models can be classified according to a hierarchy of levels, each addressing a particular scale of battlefield integration. From top down, those levels are 1) Theater, 2) Corps, 3) Division, 4) Battalion, 5) Unit, and 6) Item (One-on-One). This paper deals with the problem of relating item- level measures of performance to actual battlefield effectiveness. Level 6 modeling is particulary crucial now and will be more so in the future. It is the level at which individual weapons are examined in greatest detail; this includes the diverse aspects of vulnerability, mobility, structural integrity, signature, and lethality. This level plays a central role in developing system concepts, design optimization, evolving battlefield strategies, and logistics planning. Unfortunately, item-level modeling has not generally kept up with the technology advancements in weapons engineering. The design choices available to weapons designers include applique and special armors, new configurations of shaped-charge liners and materials for construction which have ramifications for system strength, mobility, vulnerability, and detection. Item-level modeling must evolve in a number of crucial ways. First, high-resolution simulations are required to provide supporting data for design/optimization. Second, an integrated collection of multiple high-resolution simulations must exist so that design tradeoffs, robustness, and countermeasures can be assessed. Keywords: Infantry fighting vehicle, Computer aided design, Armored vehicles, Probability of mission effectiveness. (SDW)