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Offensive Support (OS) modelling has generally not been implemented within a closed simulation in such a way that its contribution to the overall mission performance can be captured, measured and integrated. However, the issue of realistically measuring OS performance becomes more critical as new technologies are proposed to improve or compress the Kill Chain, particularly in the context of complex environments. A study is being conducted to determine and implement an explicit Kill Chain in CASTFOREM such that it can be configured to use a variety of components and its impact on performance can be measured and compared. To assess the Kill Chain, six measures have been adopted from the original research done by the Royal Australian Air Force and Air Operations Division, DSTO. These are Timeliness, Appropriateness, Precision, Discrimination, Orchestration and Survivability, referred to as TAPDOS. These performance measures will allow the study to align with accepted standards of OS usage in the Australian joint fires environment, and to facilitate the use of Subject Matter Experts to support the study and promulgate performance results. The outcome of the study will be a closed simulation capable of identifying and reporting specific Kill Chain events and measures associated with the target performance demands, system performance availability, system selection and performance delivered.

Defense organizations around the world are formulating new visions, strategies, and concepts that utilize emerging information-age technologies. Central among these is network-based operations. Measures and metrics are needed that allow analysts to link the effects of alternative network structures, operating procedures and command and control arrangements to combat outcomes. This paper reports on measures and mathematical metrics that begin to address this problem. Networks are assessed in terms of their complexity, their ability to adapt, and the collaboration opportunity they afford. The metrics measure the contributions of complexity to information flow, and the deleterious effects of information overload and disconfirming reports to overall network performance. In addition, they measure the contributions of collaboration to shared situational awareness in terms of the accuracy and precision of the information produced and the costs associated with an imbalance of the two. We posit a fixed network connecting a Naval Task Force’s various platforms, and assess the ability of this network to support the range of missions required of the task force. The emphasis is not on connectivity, but rather on information flow and how well the network is able to adapt to alternative flow requirements. We assess the impact alternative network structures, operating procedures and command arrangements have on combat outcomes by applying the metrics to a cruise missile defense scenario.

Effective battlespace awareness is essential for any defence operation; this is especially true in the increasingly complex and dynamic land component of the military environment. Because of its relatively small force size dispersed piece-wise across a large and largely vacant landmass, the Defence of Australia presents a somewhat unique challenge for the development of systems that support command decision-making. The intent of this paper is to first examine the digitisation effort under way in Australia and describe the Army Battlefield Command Support System (BCSS) being developed for use in the tactical arena. BCSS is essentially a suite of commercial-off-the-shelf and government-off-the-shelf software components provided via a standard operating environment to aid decision-making. Then, we present the development of a Tactical Land C4I Assessment Capability (TLCAC) synthetic environment which is being used to undertake controlled performance evaluations of the various elements of the BCSS suite and provide impact assessments of new technological advances. The TLCAC provides a capacity to assess in near real-time Brigade and below level command post exercise activities. That is, when deployed it provides a mechanism to automatically collect command and control and manoeuvre data, which can aid in the after action review process.