Using an Ontology for Entity Situational Awareness in a Simple Scenario

The use of ontologies to represent data and knowledge combined with service-based software provides new opportunities for the integration of command and control systems, simulations, and dynamic data. The U.S. Department of Defense's Global Information Grid (GIG) is envisioned to integrate complex communications networks, data from disparate sources, and services-oriented applications. The GIG will provide analysis, decision support, and information visualization to both human and automated users. This paper describes concepts and architecture for an experiment which demonstrates the use of knowledge-based technologies to support tactical maneuver. Open source and in-house software were linked together to conduct a simple simulation of a realistic mission (move from A to B along a “safe” route). Events which may affect the route are injected, reported, and stored in the knowledge base to simulate battlespace dynamics. Through the use of an automated reasoner, events which affect the route are identified and passed to the decision maker to stimulate possible replanning. Follow-on efforts will convert the maneuver related software into web services, moving closer to the GIG concept. Discussed is the value of a formal ontology within the domain of military maneuver, architectural approach, and lessons learned.