Analysis system changes name, expands scope

  • Published
  • By Christa Hahn
  • Joint Experimentation Directorate
SUFFOLK, Va. (AFPN) --  U.S. Joint Forces Command has changed the name of its Joint Warfare System to Joint Analysis System to better reflect the program's capabilities.

The program's manager, Navy Cmdr. Gregg Martin, said he is hopeful the use of JAS will expand to support many U.S. organizations outside the Department of Defense.

"The name change is an attempt to capture the full potential of the simulation," Commander Martin said. "Although the simulation's capabilities are best suited to represent the joint warfighter for military studies, its object-oriented architecture gives JAS the flexibility to support many other analytic efforts."

Commander Martin said the name change better portrays the simulation's capability to support the USJFCOM mission of meeting the present and future operational needs, while expanding the scope of applications the simulation can support. Those applications include homeland defense, crisis response and planning for natural disasters.

Bob Graebener, JAS program office director, said the new name reflects these broader capabilities and applications to the users of modeling and simulation.

"JAS offers the user a simulation tool that will aid commanders in making better informed decisions," Mr. Graebener said.

DOD identified a need to shift focus from service-centered simulation systems to a seamless joint campaign model that would simulate integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; service weapons systems; and joint task forces. The department initiated the JWARS program in 1995 to meet that need.

DOD's Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation previously managed JWARS, developing it to provide cross-domain support. USJFCOM's Joint Experimentation Directorate agreed to manage the program in 2005.

Command officials said the name change comes at a timely juncture. In May 2006 the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office announced a conceptual description of the types of modeling and simulation support required to meet anticipated demands over the next decade. The announcement stated simulations like JAS, capable of providing cross-domain support, are necessary.

According to program managers, JAS supports campaign-level assessments through a joint approach and provides a flexible infrastructure for addressing the new mission requirements facing the 21st century commander.