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(Numbers refer to the Systems Methodology)
2/1 Nominate System of Interest: Mobile Land Force 2010
2/2 Explore Boundaries and Finite States: Complementary set of interacting, all terrain, fighting vehicles operating multiple UMAs after the manner of a land-based aircraft carrier task force. States: training, standby, operational, recovery, turnround & repair
2/3 Identify SoS Sibling Systems: air transport, air insertion, air recovery, satellite intelligence, satellite comm/nav, logistic support, repair facilities, vehicle recovery
2/4 Identify & Explore Environment: desert & tundra, varied, wide temperature variation, plains with rocky outcrops, frozen lakes, little vegetation, v. sparsely populated if at all
2/5 Identify SoS Containing System and Objectives: US Global Peace Command. To neutralize enemy incursions into UN designated global deserts and tundra
2/6 Identify and Explore Influences on SOI: Political desire to operate without loss of US lives. UN desire to operate without loss of any lives. US belief in advanced hi-tech weapon systems. US defense business interest in developing advanced, non-lethal weapons
2/7 Identify and Prescribe Interactions and Resources: Air Transport and Insertion; resupply; intelligence; RoE; fuel, weapons and consumables; UMAs; trained operators; repair staff, logisticians, communications, satellite navigation, etc., etc.
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The figure shows the so-called TRIAD Building System. For our purposes, we need only go down to the first TRIAD, and identify "functions to give architectures."
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3/1 Prime |
3/2 Semantic |
3/3 Objectives from SA |
3/4 Strategies to Achieve Objectives |
3/5 Threats |
3/6 Strategies to Overcome Threats |
3/7 Functions to Support Strategies |
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To neutralize
enemies in...
open desert and...
tundra regions...
...around the world
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To render ineffective...
those opposed to the US as identified by UN directive ABC existing and/or operating in...
open, desolate, largely uninhabited tracts...
and Arctic plains with permanently frozen subsoil, lichens, mosses, and dwarfed vegetating...
...wherever sanctioned by the UN
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To deploy swiftly To move rapidly to scenes of incursion/ activity To engage and deter, or overcome
To identify legitimate enemies specifically
To operate over wide areas radically different environments, temperatures, going, etc.
To operate within a UN mandate at all times
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Air transportable
Air deliverable
High powered, high speed, all terrain vehicles.
UMAs for remote identification and engagement where appropriate
Vehicles to operate and fight on the move as an integrated unit, for speed, area coverage, avoidance of detection
Fleet formation management to reduce enemy threat - open and tight, etc.
Some vehicles to be self-steering, but under control of personnel in nearby vehicles /command posts
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Attack when vulnerable, while creating bridgehead
Delay in arrival, allowing enemy to gain ground.
Poor "going" in territory causing further delay, inhibiting agility
Inappropriate weapons to deal with unknown enemy.
Lightly armed, or unarmed insurgents
Misidentification of neutrals or friendlies.
Collateral damage
Damage to fragile ecologies
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Pre-deployed cadre forces in area
Some WS/vehicles specialized for hot, wet, cold, ice, etc. conditions
Use of non-lethal force to neutralize
Use of armored UMAs to accelerate ahead of ground force
Equipped: psy-ops, loudspeakers, leaflets, stun weapons, non-lethal antiriot weapons
Equipped: fuel-air and thermobaric weapons (to warn as well as neutralize) + short-range electromagnetic pulse (SREMP)
Equipped: canon, antitank missile, etc., anti-sniper lasers, enhanced remote ethnic/ nationality laser identification |
Cadre forces maintenance, communications and intelligence.
Special vehicle support
Lethal weapons training/practice
Non-lethal weapons training and practice
Fuel-air and thermobaric weapons training/practice
Human target identification
Sniper location
Real-time control of Rules of Engagement |
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4/1 Develop Measures of Effectiveness:
a) time to scene
b) time to neutralize
c) degree of neutralization
d) Blue casualties
e) Red casualties
f) operation costs & cost effectiveness
g) cost exchange ratios
h) casualty exchange ratios
j) return on capital employed (ROCE)
The CONOPS is presented in the form of a Causal Loop Model to encourage completeness, although the nature of the CONOPS is more that of a process or procedure.
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In addition to the Prime Mission functions already derived from applying the TRIAD Building System, the CONOPS indicates the need for several more Prime Mission functions:
It is now time to take advantage of the Generic Reference Model (GRM) The GRM represents the functional internals of any system under two main headings, doing and thinking, as follows:
5/3 The table shows one way in which the GRM may be used. The three aspects of Mission, Viability and Resource Management are laid out as columns. T he instantiation of the respective GRM element is shown against each item in each of the three columns. So, under Mission Management, the GRM indicates that there must exist within the system of interest (SOI) a means for the Management of Information. In this instance, the function will be performed by a Communications Center and an Imaging Center.
Similarly, the management of survival is shown as invoking formation management (of the fleet of vehicles and UMAs forming the force), and the management of a self-defense system - as yet unspecified.
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5/2 As with Doing, or Function, so with Thinking, of Behavior. Progressively, this approach using the GRM identifies and nominates internal functions, without which the force would be unable to operate effectively.
5/4. All of the internal functions are drawn together into an N2 chart - above - where omissions are sought. In the figure, relationships and interactions are proposed at the question marks, between CPRM and Climate Control on the one hand and between ROE Management (Rules of Engagement) and Command and Control on the other.
Reclustering the N2 chart post correction shows there to be four major groupings, as shown above.
5/6 The Functional Architecture diagram, taken directly from the N2 Chart above, shows the internal architecture of the new land force.
5/7 Connecting the previous figure into the external parts of the overall system, including the support, logistics, intelligence, navigation and transport elements, results in the figure above. An overall functional architecture, shwing the principle systems of Land Force 2010.
Having worked on the functional aspects, we are now able to posit optional (physical) solution concepts. The idea is emerging of a highly mobile and transportable land force, which may be air-inserted near the scene of some activity. The force makes extensive use of UMAs, both for reconnaissance and for engaging a supposed enemy; one purpose of this is to minimize the potential for casualties on our, Blue, side.
The concept is not dissimilar to a naval task force formed around an aircraft carrier. Carrier aircraft recce., defend the fleet, mount attacks ahead of fleet, and so on. The carrier is vulnerable, however - and considerable effort is expended to defend it.
Land Force 2010 could be:
5/13. At this point a further, more detailed CONOPS is called for. This one shows the various physical elements in the overall SoS, the TLEs, the UMAs (Raptors and Dragonflies,) in continuous operation, bound into a single, cohesive system by the network of communication, navigation and identification (CNI). This is the organismic analogy in evidence, i.e., the various parts cooperate to act as a single system. The CNI supports and enables a number of system-wide applications: cooperative surveillance and reconnaissance, the formation of a Recognized Air and Surface Picture (RASP), target nomination, target allocation, kill assessment, etc. This detailed CONOPS identifies further system wide Prime Operational Functions, essential in this case to establish a unified force.
Looking back at Apollo
Similarly, system design for LF2010 consists of
It may also be that some options require the transport aircraft, with appropriate systems and crews, to assume additional roles as forward air controllers, remote pilots for UMAs, and a communications relay. The air transport element looks set to be viewed as an integral part of the system - as any feasible CONOPS would dictate anyway.
Important Note:
We lack the space to pursue a full range of options, as prescribed by the Systems Methodology. Instead, the following sections pursue only one option, which has been chosen quite arbitrarily
So far we have looked at function and behavior, not form. We must consider form before we can proceed further
The limiting form factor is the capacity of the transport aircraft
The notion developed that UMAs should appear as though they were natural to the environment - desert or tundra as appropriate. Not only would this act as camouflage from some potential foe, but also the impact of UMAs on other forms of life in such delicate ecosystems would be minimized. The natural choice was to make the UMA look like a raptor indigenous to the are in question.
Prototype raptor
Our solution option carries 3-TLEs at 10 tonnes each, in tandem in the cargo hold
The remaining 5-tonnes are:
A full force might comprise 20+ such aircraft, with 60+ TLEs deployed at once, each with multiple UMA/RPVs active simultaneously, all on the go
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To view the dynamic effects of this Chameleon camouflage, double-click on on the movie below.
Force operates as a single whole, made up from TLAs, Raptors, Dragonflies, etc., Whole force-on-the-move is a SWARM. Design will involve numerous simulations of SWARMs of various sizes operating across different kinds of terrain against different enemy forces. The whole will networked to hold together as a single fighting unit. This network-enabled, or network centric force concept depends upon developmental technologies
The transport aircraft fuselage will look as shown when loaded with 3 TLAs. When empty, the other facilities - Repair Bays, Logistics, CPRM, etc., will be free to act. C2, intelligence and communications will work all the time, particularly during SWARM operations. During ops,the transport aircraft may:
Each TLA - in this particular design option - is identical, and laid out in plan a shown above. Each TLA can be driven from within, or remotely by a driver using sensors and remote controls. Ultimately, it is the intention that some of the vehicles will be semiautonomous, being able to sense ahead and steer themselves.
Continue to Step 6 of the Systems Methodology
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