ADDING AN INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEM TO AN EXISTING TRAINING SIMULATION

Richard H. Stottler and Randy Jensen

Stottler Henke Associates, Inc.

San Mateo, California

Bill Pike

STRICOM

Orlando, Florida

Rick Bingham

MÄK Technologies

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Battle Command 2010 (BC2010) is a tactical decision game used by Command Prep Course students at the Command General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth to play battalion level tactical scenarios in a dynamic, 3-D environment. The use of this simulation, however, still required the effort of an instructor to observe the student's actions and provide an after action review (AAR).  It was determined that the addition of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) to BC2010 would off-load the instructor from these duties and allow the students to execute scenarios without requiring an instructor for the AAR.  This paper presents the lessons learned from that experience.

In BC2010, students playing a scenario must first read the mission background, which includes the mission objectives and five paragraph order.  They then develop a plan and input that plan into each unit under their control.  They monitor the execution of their plan and the tactical situation in 2-D and 3-D views.  Enemy units are only shown when they are sighted by friendly units.  During the simulation the students can issue real-time commands.

The ITS is interfaced to BC2010 via the High Level Architecture (HLA.).  Initially the student's plans are transmitted from BC2010 through HLA to the ITS, before simulation execution begins.  These plans are critiqued by the ITS by comparing them to good and common bad plans for the scenario, as determined by a subject matter expert.  The student receives this feedback and corrects the plan.  Execution then begins.  BC2010, through HLA, sends to the ITS both the locations and actions of vehicles and the commands sent by the student.  The ITS evaluates the correctness of these actions, given the current circumstances, determines which tactical principles the student has correctly applied and which have been missed, and automatically assembles a debriefing.  It can then recommend further study and additional scenarios to improve the student's weakest areas.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

EMBEDDED TRAINING INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEMS (ITS) FOR THE FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS (FCS) COMMAND AND CONTROL (C2) VEHICLE

George M. Burmester

U.S. Army STRICOM

Orlando, Florida

Richard H. Stottler

Stottler Henke and Associates, Inc.

San Mateo, California

John L. Hart

U.S. Army STRICOM

Orlando, Florida

KEYWORDS

Embedded Training, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Future Combat Systems, Command and Control, C2

The FCS is a radical departure from the previous Army concept of operations.  It is described primarily as a system of systems and is a new way to fight.  The new concept of operations is network centric, with information from a large number of different types of sensors passing through the network to the C2 vehicle.  This diverse information must be understood, situational awareness achieved, and, tactical decisions based on it must be made.  Thus, the new soldier manning the FCS C2 platform is given much more information, more diverse in nature; and therefore has a much more cognitively challenging job.

Embedded training (ET) seeks to provide effective training anytime, anywhere. “Embedded training must allow individual and collective training on a digital terrain representation of the mission area and permit mission planning and rehearsal in both stand-alone and networked modes while enroute."[FCS Mission Needs Statement (MNS) 2001]  Instructors are required to perform several instructional tasks, including instructing the student on relevant information, presenting appropriate examples, debriefing the student, and assigning remedial instruction.  However, an instructor will not usually be available in the field, anytime, anywhere. 

To realize the benefits of ET systems will require that these tasks, described above, be performed by software.  This is the realm of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs).  The ultimate FCS ITS would be interfaced to the ET simulation so that it could run the student through simulated scenarios and monitor his actions.  The ITS would be able to plan a tailored course of instruction for the student FCS operator which would include basic system operation, tactical decision-making, and the employment of FCS systems during combat.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

AN EMBEDDED TRAINING SOLUTION: FBCB2/TACTICAL DECISION MAKING INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEM

Richard H. Stottler

Stottler Henke Associates, Inc.

San Mateo, California

Bill Pike

U.S.  Army STRICOM

Orlando, Florida

We are developing for STRICOM an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) for tank and mechanized infantry company commanders that teaches tactical decision making and the tactical use of FBCB2, a C4I system.  These are complex cognitive tasks that normally require the availability of an instructor.  This prevents the effective use of embedded systems for training in the field, where an instructor is not typically present.  Our ITS interfaces to a tactical simulation and FBCB2 and assumes the duties normally performed by the instructor. 

Instructors and experts both agree that company commanders need to improve their tactical decision-making and that this requires more tactical decision-making practice.  Practice should include a mix of tactical planning and tactical execution in dynamic simulations that provide 3-D virtual terrain views.  Additionally, FBCB2 training decays very quickly so that an embedded, scenario-based training aid would substantially increase combat readiness.

The ITS addresses these problems by teaching tactical decision-making and the proper tactical use of FBCB2 by presenting course material and examples, then testing the commander in tactical situations simulated by OneSAF Test Bed (OTB) and displayed in FBCB2.  The ITS first evaluates the student's plan, entered as an FBCB2 overlay and provides an automatic critique.  It then monitors the student's actions in the simulated scenario, assesses their correctness for the current situation, and debriefs the student by automatically assembling an After Action Review (AAR).  It then infers the knowledge deficiencies of the student, and formulates a remedial instruction plan, which normally includes further course material, examples, and further exercises to practice and test the student's weaknesses.

This paper will first describe the requirements for an embedded training system, give the general capabilities of ITSs and explain why ITSs meet the embedded training requirements, describe the FBCB2/Tactical Decision Making ITS, list the lessons learned from this effort and conclude with work planned for the future.  The ITS description begins with an overview, followed by a description of the ITS's functionality, followed by a description of each component, and ends with a description of how evaluation is automatically performed and modeled.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

NEW WINE IN OLD BOTTLES, THE CHALLENGE OF UPGRADING LEGACY SYSTEMS

CW4 Clifford N. Cox

Arizona National Guard

Western ARNG Aviation Training Site (WAATS), Marana Arizona

With the service life of many military aircraft exceeding 40 years, it is reasonable to expect that their associated training systems will require at least two major upgrades. Complementing, or competing with this process is the emergence of radically different simulation paradigms centering on distributed devices that facilitate the development of new hardware, tactics, training, and the final rehearsal of actual missions. Unfortunately, replacing obsolete computers and upgrading components to keep the simulator concurrent with the aircraft represent the most common concerns voiced when major upgrades are contemplated.  While these items are critical, they only scratch the surface with regard to the potential savings and readiness improvements available when training paradigms are shifted to account for the technical changes that have occurred in simulation and the cultural evolutions attendant in each aircraft community.

A simple flight in the high mountains of Afghanistan will illustrate the emerging simulation requirements associated with the demands now being placed on Army attack helicopter pilots. By looking at the limitations of the current Combat Mission Simulator (CMS) it is evident that significant opportunities lie ahead for the program.  Conversely, it is also evident that many compromises in the legacy design of the device must be accounted [and budgeted] for if the CMS is to maintain its reputation as a primer-training device.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

SUPPRESSOR AND THE B-2 AIRCREW TRAINING DEVICE (ATD)–THE ENHANCEMENT OF A LEGACY MANY VERSUS MANY WARGAMING MODEL AND A LEGACY VIRTUAL SIMULATOR TO HLA AND DMT

Gregory L. Douglas and Joseph M. Sardella

L3 Communications, Link Simulation & Training

Binghamton, New York

Due to the changing training requirements of the B-2 Aircrew Training Device (ATD), the US Air Force has been upgrading their existing, legacy virtual simulator to be HLA compliant.  These devices provide individual and crew training, but do not provide interoperability with other devices to satisfy full mission rehearsal requirements.  Executing a strategic plan established in the late 1990’s to meet the Department of Defense (DoD) directive to become High Level Architecture (HLA) compliant, these devices are being upgraded to interoperate with other devices, both virtual and constructive.  The devices will then be usable for team training in a Distributed Mission Training (DMT) environment to support full mission rehearsal.

The B-2 Weapon Systems Trainers (WST) and Mission Trainers (MT) were created to support the individual and crew training of B-2 pilots.  They are large, high fidelity, multi-platform systems that simulate systems associated with the B-2 aircraft.  These devices all provide a simulation of the synthetic environment (friendly, hostile, and neutral forces).  The many versus many synthetic environment employed on the B-2 devices is Suppressor, a DoD, analytical, event-stepped, many-versus-many, threat model.  Its traditional use has been in the analytical world to support Analysis of Alternatives (AOA), weapon effectiveness, and survivability analysis.  It simulates human behavior, sensors (infrared, electro-optical, radar, and radar warning receivers), radios, jammers, weapon systems, and movement systems. The Suppressor model in place on the B-2 devices has been enhanced to run at a real time rate, interact with virtual devices, run under the simulator executive, handle Instructor requests to control/modify the environment and use no wait input/output (IO) mechanisms for file access during real time.

This paper will detail the stand-alone approach used to transform Suppressor into an HLA compliant federate.  This carefully planned approach will allow the HLA compliant Suppressor model to be used in a similar manner on other virtual simulation devices to provide a many versus many synthetic environment for simulation based acquisition (SBA), wargaming analysis and full mission rehearsals.  This paper also presents information detailing the modifications made to the existing B-2 devices to allow interoperability with the HLA compliant Suppressor model.  All of the stand-alone capabilities were retained with this approach for an HLA federation.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

RE-PURPOSING LEGACY COURSEWARE WITH ADVANCED DISTANCE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY:   A CASE STUDY

Craig S. Mc Cue

International Simulation & Training Systems

Iowa Technology Center

Urbandale, Iowa

The Iowa Technology Center’s (ITC) research in learning, content and knowledge management systems has lead to a number of significant advances through the Consolidated Interactive Virtual Information Center (CIVIC) program. This system combines the best technology of wide area networks and knowledge management systems to form a comprehensive training environment, allowing the quick development and delivery-on-demand of enhanced education and training.

One of the significant benefits of this program has been the research conducted in converting and re-purposing legacy courseware. Since the early 1980s there has been a tremendous investment of capital in computer-based training courses. Most courses currently in use are delivered via CD-ROM or network server on individual computers located in special learning labs. Thus, while not obsolete technologically, they are not capable of interfacing with most web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS). The alternatives to this situation are few: 1) continue to use legacy software in centralized learning labs, at significant cost, 2) re-implement the courseware (also a costly option), or 3) convert and re-purpose legacy courseware to use the latest Advanced Distance Learning (ADL) standards and technology, at significant savings. Our research shows that conversion and re-purposing can lengthen the life of existing courseware.

This paper discusses the lessons learned by the ITC while researching a significant re-purposing effort. The case study discussed involves the conversion and re-purposing of an extensive (>5,000 file) set of courseware to SCORM 1.2, containing 56 learning objects with over 500 sub-topics. Discussion points include: 1) how to determine the best approach for conversion to SCORM, 2) deciding what a SCO is, 3) advantages and limitations of different conversion strategies, and 4) lessons learned during the conversion, re-purposing and deployment phases of the project.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

INTEGRATING TRAINING AND FIDELITY REQUIREMENTS IN SIMULATION SYSTEM DESIGN

Mark Hemenway, P.E.,

Dynamics Research Corporation

Andover, Massachusetts

and

Dr. Dennis Duke

Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

Orlando, Florida

Fidelity analysis is the means by which training requirements are translated to hardware requirements for training device design and acquisition.  However, there are few rigorous, analytical approaches to this important analysis step. Current practice is dominated by the engineering approach, which focuses on maximizing technology content based on the subjective inputs of subject matter experts.

This paper describes a structured methodology for linking training requirements developed through the ISD process with fidelity requirements in order to optimize hardware design for simulation systems. While new, it has proven its utility in applications to two aircraft mission crew simulators and is currently being applied in development of the Naval Aviation Simulation Master Plan. Lessons learned in these applications will be discussed.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

USING QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT IN TRAINING SYSTEMS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Arthur B. Jeffery

University of South Alabama

Mobile, Alabama

and

 Dr. Mary F. Bratton-Jeffery

Headquarters, Navy Education and Training

Pensacola, Florida

Any training systems development effort must satisfy many needs, requirements and expectations.  The quality function deployment (QFD) technique offers designers, developers, managers, sponsors, and other decision makers a simple way to identify and track the accommodation of the all needs, requirements, and expectations throughout the entire development process.

Quality Function Deployment has its roots in manufacturing as a design quality tool.  Yoji Akao first conceptualized it in 1966 as an approach to new product development and concurrent engineering where customer requirements were integrated into product design (Akao, 1990).  John Hauser and Don Clausing of Harvard University brought QFD into the mainstream of the quality movement in the United States in 1988.  Hauser and Clausing used the phrase “House of Quality” to describe the modular building process for the QFD matrix in a manner similar to adding features to a house (Hauser & Clausing, 1988).  The procedure is extremely well documented in the literature.   QFD remains a mainstream quality technique as evidenced by the recent article in the Quality Management Journal by Ita Richardson, Eamonn Murphy, and Kevin Ryan.  These authors offer a generic QFD methodology for software process improvement (Richardson, Eamonn, & Murphy, 2002).

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE, IMMERSIVE, LOW COST MISSION REHEARSAL SYSTEMS

Major David Putze USMCR (retired)

G2 Interactive

Keller, Texas

Scenario specific tactics affirmation and learning objectives associated with large force exercises can be partially realized by using multiple netted PC based mission rehearsal systems.  Current simulators that are effective for training specific individual aircrew tasks are impractical for operational level training and rehearsal.  Simulator complexity, operating costs and the difficulty to connect complex systems do not permit real-time, integrated, large force training scenarios to be run.  Alternative systems must not sacrifice the “operational fidelity” required to ensure realistic training.  The key to success when using PC based simulations to portray complex scenarios is through the use of “operational fidelity” as a central design philosophy during simulation development.  The result of this guided design principle is to allow multiple entities to credibly operate within a highly refined subset of entity specific scenarios and applicable Rules Of Engagement (ROE) issues.  The training performed through a multi-operator system that is capable of approximating weapon systems tactical parameters will allow the participant to develop a wider range of alternative models.

The paper will define the concept of “operational fidelity” and explore its application in a PC based mission rehearsal system.  The scope of ”operational fidelity” is to accurately model a wider range of tactical interactions between each entity within the scenario.  Mission success is based on realistic operational goals, and is achieved as a result of the individual operator’s training and tactical experience level.  The primary focus for “operational fidelity” will be the development of an immersive, theater sized, multi-entity mission rehearsal tool.  The final product will provide aircrews with unique tactical planning training in a complex environment that is difficult to replicate outside of actual combat situations.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

HUMAN-CENTERED DEVELOPMENT OF A HELICOPTER VOICE MARSHALLING SIMULATOR

Robert J. Stone and Sam McDonagh

VP Defence Limited and SARTU, RAF Valley

Sale, Cheshire, UK and Anglesey, North Wales, UK

Within the Royal Air Force, helicopter voice-marshalling (VM) aircrew play a vital role in search and rescue missions and in the delivery of military and survival resources to remote areas, often confined by natural features such as forests and mountains.  Located in the rear cabin of the RAF’s Griffin (Bell 412) helicopters, harnessed VM aircrew monitor the external environment through the open cabin door and verbally relay important flight commands to the pilot in order to guarantee an accurate and safe approach of the aircraft to a landing site or target object.  Following a development period lasting only 6 months, the RAF has taken delivery of a VR VM simulator designed to foster improved fidelity ground training techniques and to minimize costly “remedial” ground/air training.  This paper presents the findings of the initial human factors and training needs analyses, conducted with the support of RAF subject matter experts during ground exercises and flight trials.  These were conducted to define primary VM task components, helicopter features demanding physical and graphical reproduction in the final simulator and the specification of the sources of visual cues utilized during reconnaissance and final approach (land and sea operations).  The single PC-based, semi-immersive (head-mounted display) VR simulator and trainer interface is described, as is the development of the virtual environment run-time system, components of which (the dynamic seascape and environmental modules) were based in part on software modules extracted from a recent close-range weapons simulator developed for the Royal Navy.  Early results focusing on the first courses to benefit from the new the simulator are also presented.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

EMBEDDED TRAINING FOR DISMOUNTED SOLDIERS (ETDS)

Paul Dumanoir and Pat Garrity

U.S. Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM), Orlando, Florida

Van Lowe

Institute for Simulation & Training (IST)

University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida

Bob G. Witmer

U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral & Social Sciences Simulator Systems Research Unit, Orlando, Florida

The U.S. Army STRICOM is researching technologies to embed advanced simulation and training capabilities in the Objective Force Warrior (OFW) system. The OFW is an individual soldier system of systems approach for mounted, as well as dismounted forces. OFW will be the Advanced Capability upgrade to Land Warrior (LW) which is the Army’s first fully integrated infantry fighting system.  This paper will describe the research that has begun at STRICOM’s Cross Domain Technology (CDT) enterprise to explore mixed reality technologies for dismounted soldier embedded training and simulation. The research is focused on the development and testing of simulation software that exploits rapidly advancing mobile computing platforms, 2D/3D graphics, interactive simulation models, and mixed reality technology. Commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware, being used as surrogate OFW hardware at the CDT test bed, includes portable/wearable/handheld computing and display devices; video and optical see-through head mounted displays, and position tracking and orientation sensing devices.  The Embedded Training (ET) and simulation software being developed by the ETDS Integrated Product Team (IPT) is hosted on these hardware devices.  Various advanced simulation software programs and applications are being integrated with the surrogate hardware using augmented reality technology to support mixed live and virtual training and mission rehearsal. In addition to the application of mixed reality concepts – mixing live and virtual simulations - testbed research will address fully virtual embedded capabilities for dismounted soldiers to plan and simulate combat missions while in their barracks, en route to a mission, or in the field.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

APPLICATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL WEAPONS SIMULATORS

Robert J. Stone and Captain John B. M. Rees, RN

VP Defence Limited and Naval Recruitment & Training Agency

Sale, Cheshire, UK and Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK

The Royal Navy’s Close-Range Weapons Simulator (CRWS) system entered service at the land base of HMS Collingwood in April 2001.  The PC-hosted, DIS-enabled simulators were developed over a period of 7 months and represent a blend of semi-immersive Virtual Reality technologies with inert 20/30mm weapons (made available when the original shore-based training facility – HMS Cambridge – closed down earlier that year).  The aimer’s task, under simulated conditions of variable sea state, precipitation, fog and time-of-day, is to engage surface and airborne threats under the instructions of a Weapons Director Visual, located on a raised platform in both the virtual and real environments (representing the Gunner Director’s Platform as would be the case on board an RN vessel).  This paper describes some of the design processes that were undertaken to ensure that the human-system interfaces for the Instructors and Students, plus the content of the synthetic naval environment, provided a training experience exceeding that previously delivered at HMS Cambridge.  The design process also demonstrated that an original plan, to deliver the synthetic images via a fixed video projection system (as opposed to head-mounted displays), would have seriously compromised the accuracy of the target engagement process.  The cost-benefit results of early assessments of what is the RN’s first operational VR simulator are presented.  The paper also evaluates some of the lessons learned in utilizing COTS hardware for naval defense training simulators and emphasizes the importance of using military hardware–in this case inert weapons–to augment the synthetic training experience

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

SCALABLE SIMULATION FOR BRIDGE OFFICER TRAINING

Garland Hardy

LANTEC Marine, Inc.

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

The objective of this paper is to highlight the Canadian Navy’s progressive development of a scalable simulation training system as the primary tool to support all of its requirements for bridge officer training, from cadets to the ship’s captains. It will discuss how the addition of a suite of part task trainers, using a simulation engine common to the Navy’s established full mission simulators has afforded the advantage of compatibility of databases, models and training scenarios.  Additionally, it will explain how this new capability has enhanced the accessibility and flexibility of simulation training for bridge officers hence facilitating the blending of the training process with ship’s operational/ officer’s career cycles to capitalize on experience gained at sea, and more importantly the inverse.

On the topic of part task trainers the paper will focus on their use primarily in developing individual skill sets both in a single and limited multitask environment.  There will be discussions on the balance of self-study versus instructor assisted training, distributed versus centralized training programs, and evaluation tools and student progress tracked through a learning management system.

Finally the paper will address how simulation based training has been optimized to suit a bridge officer’s overall career training needs at various rank and experience levels, and how its various training programs can be easily adapted to suit specific performance standards.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

MULTI-CONFIGURATION CONCURRENCY PILOT TRAINING USING

RE-CONFIGURABLE DESKTOP SIMULATORS

Doris Armour

Boeing Scientist, Airlift and Tanker Division

Long Beach, California

The present and future cargo transport and gunship fleet of aircraft will consist of multiple block configurations.  Once a conventional training simulator is modified to a new block configuration, the old block material that can be taught or simulated is limited.  Air Force and industry partners have developed a transportable PC and SUN based, real-time, Re-configurable Desktop Simulator to resolve this issue.  This paper presents RDS methods, technology and design features used to drive down cost and maximize functionality.  These include single and dual aircraft configurations that represent one aircraft with two pilots or two aircraft with each pilot flying separate missions using the same or different block configurations simultaneously.  This paper presents the method used to enable a Distributed Interactive Simulation environment for formation missions including the training and evaluation of formation lead using logging and playback feature.

The RDS is equipped with satellite imagery integrated with World Wide Digital Terrain Elevation Data level 1 for out-of-the window visual presentation of terrain and selected airfields.  A generic runway can be selected to represent any airfield that is not in the visual database.  This paper explains the technology and the methodology used for dynamically generating and loading out-of-window visual data during flight.   Pre-designed RDS training scenarios include flight profiles for airland, airdrop, formation and air refueling rendezvous missions.  System specific profiles are provided for Global Air Traffic Management with a Ground Earth Station, Traffic Collision Avoidance System, Terrain Awareness Warning System and future changes.  Free Play permits “what if” scenarios for all of the above listed missions.  This paper emphasizes the coordination and integration of the associated activities, and technologies applied to present and future flight training concepts.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website

SCALABLE FIDELITY COMPONENT-BASED SIMULATION SOFTWARE

Don Procuniar

L3 Communications, Link Simulation & Training

Arlington, Texas

and

Paul E. McMahon

PEM Systems

Binghamton, New York

Scalable Fidelity Component-Based Simulation Software (SEFCOBSS) is an approach for taking existing legacy systems and adapting them to work with new, as well as, other legacy software systems.  The SEFCOBSS method challenges a number of traditional notions of software development and maintenance.

Over the past 30 years the United States Government has made a significant investment in varying fidelity real-time simulation systems.   Until recently, it had been believed that many of these legacy systems were on the tail end of their life cycle and would need to be redesigned/rewritten to be effectively utilized. SEFCOBSS encompasses the principles, methods, architecture, and guidelines necessary to identify and effectively adapt legacy component software to meet a broad range of fidelity training needs.

Examples from the AVCATT-A project, where the SEFCOBSS method was first employed are included.  AVCATT-A employed legacy high fidelity man-in-the-loop flight simulation software adapted for use in a lower fidelity  collective training environment.

Key to the SEFCOBSS method is the ability to isolate legacy components from other legacy systems, as well as from newly designed software, while at the same time supporting effective communication among these systems.  Fundamental principles of the supporting SEFCOBSS architecture are described.

The paper asserts that legacy systems can be cost effectively maintained, but to do so requires a well-defined and disciplined process that must include guidelines for legacy candidate selection and management.   Included in the paper are guidelines for candidate selection, as well as guidelines for design modification, and software verification.

This paper tells you what you need to do to effectively leverage your legacy simulation assets when faced with new simulation requirements and/or changing fidelity requirements.  This paper also dispels the traditional software myth that old legacy software is too expensive to use and maintain.

This paper is available on the 2002 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website