Aggregate level communications effects server: meeting the communications realism challenge for large-scale real-time simulation experiments and analysis

The Department of Defense (DoD) is engaged in a massive transformation of its warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities. A concept that highlights the importance of future communications is network enabled warfare (NEW) (formerly referred to as network centric warfare). Network enabled warfare concepts call for a robustly networked force to enhance the quality of information among forces. Existing capabilities in Army communications modeling and simulation (M&S) technologies are inadequate to support transformation concepts. Most current Army testing, training, and experimentation events are planned and executed assuming perfect communications, with no restrictions, such as latency or bandwidth, that would be encountered in the real world. The aggregate level communications effects server (ALCES) has been developed to meet the communications realism challenge for Army battle lab experiments and analysis requirements, ensuring that simulated communications systems and networks used in future experiments accurately reflect real-world battlefield conditions.