Combat Model with Finnish Terrain Parameters

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Combat Model with Finnish Terrain Parameters

• Ms. Eiri Valanto
• Prof. Ari Jolma
• Prof. Kirsi Virrantaus
• 14.6.2005
• Institute of Cartography and Geoinformatics
• Department of Surveying
• Helsinki University of Technology

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Background

• Results of a combat need to be predicted when
  planning campaigns in war.
• Several different alternative scenarios should be
  compared, based on the information from the
  situation picture.
• Computer simulation is used to apply models.
• Mathematical models exist for simulation but in
  Finnish terrain the effect of land-cover and
  terrain is underestimated models do not allow
  detailed information about terrain.
• This research and development project is funded
  by the Finnish Defence Forces, in 2004-2005.

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Project goals

• To define and prototype a GI-based prediction and
  simulation tool that a military user can utilize
  to predict outcome of a battle.
• A combat model has been developed by K. Jaakola
  (as diploma thesis) and is now refined at the
  Finnish Defence Forces.
• Recent research is going on.
• to provide terrain parameters needed in the
  model.
• to define algorithms for computing the
  parameters.
• to define necessary spatial analyses to be used
  as user tools in the application.
• to define the application with geographical user
  interface.

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Research Problems

• The main task to do is
• to develope a geosimulation application for
  combat.
• Problems to be solved
• to define the combat model (done), and the
  terrain parameters as well as algorithms to
  compute them
• to model the company as an intelligent object
  which can move in the terrain according to the
  circumstances
• to take spatial data into account in companys
  movements, combat simulation, and displaying the
  situation to the user
• to provide a user-interface that the one can use
  for simulation of different scenarios

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Prediction and simulation tool

• Requirements include
• Possibility to control troops on a map and give
  missions to troops
• Simulation of the battle by applying the combat
  model
• Reasonable simulation time
• Possibility to view the results of the battle

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Prototype architecture
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Terrain

• Models are too general for Finnish fine-featured
  terrain.
• Impact of terrain is taken into the combat model
  as parameters that describe the terrain in the
  area of the company in question.
• Existing data sets including topographic map,
  soil maps, vegetation, topographic database
  information, and cross country mobility are used
• in computing the parameters as well as
• in the simulation of the movement and
• user interface

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Cross Country Mobility

• An existing analysis application useful as such,
  gives the result data layer for further use
• Shows the possibility of a specified vehicle to
  advance in the terrain.
• Analysis is based mainly on soil map data

• Other data used are sets modeling amount of
  vegetation, depth of snow and frost, and
  steepness of slope.
• Raster map layer with resolution 25mx25m.
• Problem is reliability due to uncertainty of the
  source data.

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Speed

• Needed by combat model to tell how long it takes
  for the reserves to get to some location in the
  terrain.
• This can be calculated from the previous cross
  country mobility by finding the shortest path.
• The algorithm for shortest path can be found as a
  ready function in ArcGIS but the problem might be
  the efficiency of computation.

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Cover

• Cover against enemy fire.
• Probability that the fragments are halted by
  obstacles.
• Vegetation, buildings, forms of the terrain and
  specially the opennes are taken into account in
  cover analysis.
• Main problem is the lack of detailed source data.
• Rocks and bushes would be needed for a more
  realistic model.
• The algorithm for computation will be defined in
  this project.

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Visibility

• Visibility cannot be received as a ready computed
  layer must be computed for a specific situation.
• Needs to be computed in runtime and thus the
  efficiency of the algorithm is important.
• Computing line of sight is efficient and is used
  for simulation.
• Additionally the user is provided with a
  possibility to view viewshed which requires more
  computation time.
• Problem is that ready made functions primarily
  take elevation into account and more data sets
  are required.

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User tools

• To help the user to decide suitable actions and
  destinations some analysis-based user tools are
  provided.
• Visibility.
• Impact area which is the intersection of
  visibility and weapons range.
• Route options and accessibility are also possible
  choices for user tools.

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Graphical User Interface
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Preprocessing tool

• Provides user with analyses
• The user can
• set troops locations and create them
• Give missions with destination and action
• Possible actions are defend, attack and march
• Give additional parameters like
• starting time
• weather conditions

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Postprocessing Tool

• Functions are used after the simulation to view
  events occured during simulation.
• Possible functions are
• viewing strengths of companies
• routes of companies and
• action times.
• Only minimal functionality is implemented in the
  prototype.

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Simulation

• Simulation calculates the run of the battle.
• Combat model estimates battalion level battle by
  calculating companies battles outcomes.
• Simulation runs in 1 minute steps.

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Company as an Agent

• The basic unit in simulation is the company.
• Company is an independent unit when moving in the
  terrain.
• Terrain parameters are calculated for each
  companys neighborhood area.
• Companys structure is modelled as 5 platoons.
• Their relative distance and location can vary.

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Simulation logic

• Simulation starts with all companies in their
  initial locations and missions given.
• Simulation calculates companies routes and moves
  them.
• Check if there are confronting companies.
• If there are companies that see each other combat
  model is called to calculate losses.

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Simulation logic
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Results until this

• Simulation tool prototype has been designed and
  is being implemented.
• Terrain parameters have been defined for the
  combat model.
• It is possible to take terrain into account in
  combat model simulation but getting detailed
  enough source data is still a problem.
• At the moment the prototype is being implemented
  by Java and ArcEngine environment

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Further research

• Company movement is solved as shortest path
  search on cross country mobility. In further
  research
• More geographic and environment data and details
  should be added.
• Better algorithms could be considered for
  describing the companys behavior.
• Instead cost surface based algorithm more
  heuristic algorithm could be developed.
• Terrain analyses are now simple
• Cover algorithm can be developed.
• Visibility source data and algorithm can be
  improved.
• Weather, season and time of the day can be taken
  into account in order to add more realism.