Working in the Virtual Working in the Virtual EnvironmentEnvironment

Practical ExperiencePractical Experience

Don.Gulliksen@US.Army.milDon.Gulliksen@US.Army.mil973-935-2680973-935-2680

The BattlefieldThe Battlefield network of men and machinesnetwork of men and machines composed of Army, Navy, AF, Marinescomposed of Army, Navy, AF, Marines composed of NATO, coalition forcescomposed of NATO, coalition forces all must execute missions collaborativelyall must execute missions collaboratively

– location of friends and foeslocation of friends and foes– identification of current tactical capability of eachidentification of current tactical capability of each– coordination across all organizational tierscoordination across all organizational tiers– tactical decisions that support strategic goalstactical decisions that support strategic goals

a logistics / supply system thata logistics / supply system that– provides infrastructure (roads, bridges, airfields, provides infrastructure (roads, bridges, airfields,

buildings)buildings)– provides supplies (food, medical, fuel, ammo)provides supplies (food, medical, fuel, ammo)– provides maintenance (repair parts, diagnostics, support)provides maintenance (repair parts, diagnostics, support)

The Development TeamThe Development Team

multinational members multinational members (international standards committees)(international standards committees)

joint forces joint forces (Army, Navy, AF, Marines)(Army, Navy, AF, Marines)

multiple R&D centers multiple R&D centers (armaments, missiles, automotive, etc.)(armaments, missiles, automotive, etc.)

constantly changing requirements constantly changing requirements (Vietnam, Cold War, Iraq)(Vietnam, Cold War, Iraq)

thousands of development partners, suppliers, mfr’sthousands of development partners, suppliers, mfr’s

– located throughout the worldlocated throughout the world

– all with different schedulesall with different schedules

– all with different levels of commitmentall with different levels of commitment

– all funded from different sourcesall funded from different sources

Old ApproachOld Approach make each weapon better than your enemy’smake each weapon better than your enemy’s

– the best tankthe best tank– the best rocketthe best rocket– the best fighter airplanethe best fighter airplane– the best artillery piecethe best artillery piece

make each weapon capable of operating make each weapon capable of operating autonomouslyautonomously– give it its own sensorsgive it its own sensors– give it a large ammo capacitygive it a large ammo capacity– give it its own targeting algorithmsgive it its own targeting algorithms– give it redundant weapons for varied threatsgive it redundant weapons for varied threats

design and build it with one team at one locationdesign and build it with one team at one location– expensive and slowexpensive and slow– optimized for a specific enemyoptimized for a specific enemy– unable to operate in a multinational networked battlefieldunable to operate in a multinational networked battlefield

New ApproachNew Approach

the battlefield as a system of systemsthe battlefield as a system of systems

each weapon system dependent on the otherseach weapon system dependent on the others

each weapon system modeled prior to building prototypeseach weapon system modeled prior to building prototypes

models run in battlefield simulations to eval performancemodels run in battlefield simulations to eval performance

simulation network is distributed across all R&D centerssimulation network is distributed across all R&D centers

each center provides weapon system models as req’deach center provides weapon system models as req’d

each center provides developer expertise as req’deach center provides developer expertise as req’d

The ChallengeThe Challenge

hundreds of scientists and engineers working togetherhundreds of scientists and engineers working together

– developing common network interfacesdeveloping common network interfaces

– operating on common battlefield terrainsoperating on common battlefield terrains

– using compatible computers, O/S, languages, databases, etcusing compatible computers, O/S, languages, databases, etc

massive configuration control issuesmassive configuration control issues

colossal resource (people / equipment) scheduling issuescolossal resource (people / equipment) scheduling issues

continuous discussion to determine the path forwardcontinuous discussion to determine the path forward

The ResultThe Result

we struggled with the available toolswe struggled with the available tools– emailemail– phone callsphone calls– travel to meetingstravel to meetings

we needed the next generation of toolswe needed the next generation of tools– blogsblogs– wikiswikis– twittertwitter

we needed the next level of trainingwe needed the next level of training– social networking in a business environmentsocial networking in a business environment– awareness of virtual team challenges and capabilitiesawareness of virtual team challenges and capabilities– system engineering in a highly virtual environmentsystem engineering in a highly virtual environment