A new proof-of-concept developed by the NATO STO demonstrates the feasibility of integrating wargaming and modelling and simulation (M&S) to represent, assess and compare the effectiveness of intermediate force capabilities (IFCs). The proof-of-concept game, described in a new STO publication, combines tactical/operational constructive simulation (Command PE) within a menu-based strategic wargame, building on an earlier concept developed by a separate STO research team.
The wargame was designed and executed by a team of researchers from the STO System Analysis and Studies (SAS) Panel and the NATO Modeling & Simulation Group (NMSG). The initiative brought together experts from Canada, Czechia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, the NATO Joint Warfare Centre, NATO HQ Supreme Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the NATO Modelling & Simulation Centre of Excellence. Development was led by Defence Research and Development Canada, in close collaboration with the NATO Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Water (COECSW).
The new research builds on an earlier IFC concept and hybrid wargame approach developed by an STO research team from 2019 to 2022. Connecting tactical, operational and strategic levels, this hybrid wargame combined a tactical, kriegsspiel-style game with a strategic matrix game to assess and compare the operational and strategic implications of tactical capabilities and actions. Such assessments and comparisons are key to modern warfare, considering how the online information environment exposes all actions to public opinion in real time. One limitation of this approach, however, was its lack of fidelity in representing tactical capabilities. To address this shortcoming, a new team (SAS-MSG-ET-EZ) was formed to explore the integration of wargaming and M&S.
The insights from the team’s proof-of-concept wargame will feed into a recently established STO research team that aims to integrate wargaming and simulation to represent IFC effectiveness. It will design a series of limited vignettes that would enable testing of all desired capabilities, while remaining simple enough to enable effective execution. In order to explore a variety of IFCs and their employment, the team will also design a comprehensive set of vignettes both below the threshold of armed conflict and during high-intensity combat. This would enable exploring tactics, delivery mechanisms and their impact on the escalation or use of lethal force.
Published by SAS |
