Enabling Military Coalition Command and Control with Interoperating Simulations

This paper reports on progress in developing standardized methods for military coalitions to interoperate command and control (C2) systems and simulations as a system-of-systems, resulting in improved functionality and timeliness for participants. Command and control systems are networked software systems that commanders, staffs, and other participants use to exchange tasking information (called Orders) and status information for situational awareness (called Reports). Simulations are useful as C2 system elements for analysis and to stimulate training and mission rehearsal. C2SIM combines the two and has particular value in a coalition environment, where each nation prefers to use its own C2 system and simulation. The paper describes NATO and SISO activities in C2SIM, the technical approach used to achieve interoperability, and examples of its success.