Supporting the Decentralized Development of Large-Scale Distributed Real-Time LVC Simulation Systems with TENA (The Test and Training Enabling Architecture)

Interoperability of constituent systems is the primary challenge for a large-scale distributed Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) simulation activity. The grand challenge is to integrate, for the first time, all aspects of interoperability necessary not only to enable but to ensure interoperability throughout an large-scale LVC system. Previously, a handful of these aspects of interoperability have been partially addressed in isolation. Only an integrated solution of all aspects of interoperability into a computer-enforceable architecture will make possible attaining the goal of ensuring interoperability throughout a large-scale LVC activity. The enforceable nature of the LVC activity models implies that the models accurately reflect the “reality” of the LVC activity. Without enforcement, the complex nature of the myriads of components would tend to introduce inaccuracies into models, ultimately rendering those models useless. Actual enforcement of the models elevates the LVC software systems' usefulness to a level that would otherwise be unattainable in practice. Preparing for an LVC activity involves answering deceptively simple questions such as, “Will an individual piece of software work during this LVC activity?” At present, reliably answering such questions is impossible, because no detailed, precise, and accurate descriptions of the software or the LVC event exist. Other simple questions such as, “Which data collection systems are suitable for use in this LVC activity?” are equally difficult to answer reliably. This paper discusses the need for computer-enforceable models of individual software components as well as entire LVC activities, along with creating new extensions to the existing TENA object modeling language and to the TENA Middleware itself.