A Method for Evaluating the Combat Effectiveness of a Tactical Information System in a Field Army

This paper describes a method that was developed for modeling interactions in ground combat between information flows and tactical decision making. The purpose was to provide means for measuring the effectiveness of tactical information systems in a Field Army. Gaming was chosen for the basic method because the essence of the problem was the ground commander's ability to make effective use of better information as provided by an improved tactical information system. Near-real-time play of division-level combat was made possible by providing on-line computer assistance to the control group. Combat outcomes are related to mission requirements to obtain measures of effectiveness.