A protocol converter for networked air defense applications

The standardization of traininglsimulation protocols through the SIMNETDIS concept creates a unique opportunity to maximize the productivity of existing fielded systems. The adaptation of trainer protocols to SIMNETDIS protocols will allow uainers to be integrated with distributed simulation networks, thus expanding SIMNETDIS to better simulate and model the complete air-land battlefield. The focus of our work has been in the design and development of a general form protocol converter to adapt air defense trainersisimulators to a distributed simulation network. The air defense protocol converter incorporates generic <air defense processing models, a menu driven user interface for customizing the protocol converter, and an object oriented design with clearly defined interfaces between models. The protocol converter houses all of the SIMNET processing needed for air defense systems to pmcipate in a SEVlNEiT exercise. In addition, we have defined a minimal set of messages between the air defense trainer and the protocol converter, which contains typical information available to the trainer. The protocol converter uses information from the generic interface message set and the user interface fdes to provide an air defense application with an intelligent interface to SIMNET, which can be easily expanded to address DIS.