SUMMARY
CapTech Experimentation, System of Systems, Battlelab and Modelling & Simulation (M&S), in short “CapTech Simulation”, is a crosscutting service aimed at enabling a wide range of operational and armaments developments in the defence multi-domains of Air, Land, Sea, Space and Cyber. For this, it is subject to synergies and interdependencies with many other EDA’s CapTechs.
CapTech Simulation focuses on Research and Technology (R&T) advancements in M&S and Experimentation as the main enabler for future systems costs reduction, safety increase, modelling and systems engineering efficiency, and better training. M&S is also the core technology enabling digital transformation for new defence systems, mainly for Information Superiority C4I systems and Systems of Systems. The CapTech covers as well distributed experimentations and battle labs issued from systems or multinational doctrine developments and military cooperation.
CapTech Simulation aims to generate collaborative R&T projects to respond to European Defence capabilities needed in M&S, as assessed by Ministries of Defence and the Industry. It provides expertise in M&S techniques and methodologies in the fields of:
- Concept Development & Experimentation
- Education and Training
- Strategic, operational and tactical evaluation for decision-making
- Research, analysis and planning
- Support for acquisition.
CapTech Simulation also supports the principle of distributed Experimentation, M&S and Exercises (EMSX) capability to connect distributed sites to a common EU distributed military capability.
CapTech Simulation is composed by a research driven community from Governments (CapTech Simulation National Coordinators – CNCs and CapTech Simulation Governmental Experts – CGEs), Industries, Academia and Research and Technology Organizations (CapTech Simulation non-Governmental Experts – CnGEs). Membership to the CapTech is granted by the CapTech Simulation Moderator and the CapTech National Coordinators.
To become a member of CapTech Simulation (CGE or CnGE), please contact us at: captech.simulation@eda.europa.eu
REASEARCH ORIENTATION
The Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for CapTech Simulation drives its mission and activity, in line with EDA’s Overarching Strategic Research Agenda. Operational challenges and R&T needs are translated into Technology Building Blocks, which define innovation requirements and links between technologies and capabilities.
Starting from the SRA, CapTech Members may propose or expand ideas for engaging into new activities, including projects, studies, and events.
Since its foundation, the CapTech Simulation has promoted several research projects and studies, also supporting projects originating from other EDA’s CapTechs. Such activities focus on M&S, experimentation, training, distributed architectures, and artificial intelligence.
The CapTech Simulation’s TBBs, as they stand today, are the following:
- TBB01 – Integrated Live, Virtual and Constructive (I-LVC) for Training, Simulation and Serious Games Solutions
- TBB02 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data (BD) for Decision Making Support
- TBB03 – Immersive, Virtual and Augmented Reality
- TBB04 – Cyber Defence Simulation
- TBB05 – Joint Strategic, Operational and Tactical level simulators
- TBB06 – Modelling & Simulation as a Service (MSaaS) for synthetic environment and rapid scenario generation
- TBB07 – Simulation for Systems of Systems (S3)
- TBB08 – Recognized Space Picture (RSP)
- TBB09 – Defence Satellite Reconnaissance Systems
ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
CapTech Simulation Members meet as a minimum three times per year, in dedicated CapTech Meetings. Ad hoc workshops and seminars may also take place upon request by the CapTech community, and external subject matter experts can participate.
EDA’s point of contact for the CapTech is the CapTech Moderator.
Ongoing 2021 CapTech’s projects include and EDA study and a CatB project, namely:
- EDA study “Cloud Intelligence for Decision Making Support and Analysis (CLAUDIA) - Distributed Simulation”. CLAUDIA framework contract’s objective is to develop a software modular platform serving the analysis and evaluation of data sets exploited in hybrid warfare, referred to as SWAN platform. Hybrid warfare conflicts have been selected in CLAUDIA as use cases most difficult to be tackled effectively by military decision makers, especially requiring combined support of advanced information technologies like AI, data analytics, and cloud computing. This EDA study covers the design and development of the fundamentals to federating simulators via the SWAN platform. CLAUDIA efforts are carried out in cooperation with CapTech Communication and Information Systems.
- CatB project “Common Operational Picture in Disaster Crisis Management (COPDCM)”. This project aims at delivering a working prototype to assist decision makers in facilitating command, control and coordination, and in leveraging data and information captured pre-incident and during an emergency. The overall goal of COPDCM is to deliver a Recognised Common Operational Picture in a crisis management situation.
Planned 2022 activities include a CLAUDIA follow-up and three CatB projects, namely:
- EDA study “Cloud Intelligence for Decision Making Support and Analysis (CLAUDIA) - Wargaming Toolkit”. The delivery of a wargaming tool will include a simulation warfare environment with capabilities to integrate foe behaviour in posterior phases, and development of a wargaming controller capable to convert decision makers’ courses-of-action into actionable changes in the warfare environment. The objective of this EDA study is to deliver a working prototype of a wargaming toolkit, implementing a simple decision-making support scenario.
- CatB project “Modelling and Simulation as a Service Applications for Air and Joint Exercises & Simulation (MAJES)”. This project proposal aims at applying MSaaS concept for Air & Joint Mission Training and Concept, Design & Experimentation, leveraging distributed simulation means.
- CatB project “Integrated European Joint Training and Simulation Centre (EUROSIM)”. The objective of this phase I PESCO project is to integrate the European national simulation systems and allow MSs armed forces to run training programs that simulate multinational, multi-domain joint operations.
- CatB project “3D terrain and city models for enhanced situational awareness, decision making” thought in cooperation with CapTechs Land, GNC, and Optronics.
2021’s last CapTech Meeting (October) has included the open workshop “Facts and prospects of M&S: how simulation technologies can support innovation processes”, a forum where industry could discuss and propose solution vis-a-vis the national research and government communities active in the field of Modelling and Simulation.