CONSTRUCTIVE SIMULATION OF COMBAT HELICOPTERS

With the reduction in acquisition of defense systems, emphasis has been placed on research and development and the use of computer simulation to examine future weapon systems and their operational employment. Greater use is being made of distributed interactive simulations which link constructive simulation, virtual simulation, and field maneuvers. Constructive models can be applied in distributed interactive simulations or used to reduce, through analysis, the number of trials required in a virtual simulation environment. This paper presents the development of a constructive simulation model that examines combat helicopter effectiveness in operational environments. The background of the models, the benefits they provide, and future efforts will be discussed. An analysis was conducted with the model to exercise its initial capabilities. The analysis examined the benefits of reduced RF and 1R signatures in scout and attack helicopter operations. In the Southwest Asian environment examined, it was found that the IR threat to helicopters reduced survivability more than the RF threat examined and that results were very much a function of the terrain. The paper summarizes the analysis, the expected future model enhancements, and the benefits that constructive simulation brings to research, development, and future simulation.