The US Air Force has completed its inaugural coding experiment in support of advancing command and control (C2) capabilities at the Howard Hughes Operations Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Called the Decision Advantage Sprint for Human-Machine Teaming (DASH), this two-week event involved software prototyping that aligns with the military’s objective to adopt “transformational” decision-support tools for fast-paced battle management.
It required the development of software to output “Battle Effects,” which are recommended C2 data constrained by rules of engagement and time.
Demonstrations were divided into two phases, with the first using legacy tools to establish a baseline and the second using the new prototypes. Each stage had speed and accuracy benchmarks to assess a software impact.
During the experiment, personnel who had minimal training were able to process data while feedback loops between developers and warfighters allowed real-time refinement.
The codes used were flexible in design, allowing experts to apply various methods to provide quality decision-making information. Meanwhile, scenarios consisted of unclassified components to promote coordination between the military and civilian participants
Maintaining ‘Decision Advantage’
805th Combat Training Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Shawn Finney, who is among the experiment’s supervisors, explained how DASH could affect the strategies of warfighters.
“Our C2 systems are still putting the burden of complex decision-making entirely on the human; this sprint starts to change that by giving our Airmen digital teammates that help them perceive, decide and act faster,” Finney said.
It concluded with the exercise validating a “repeatable, scalable” method for C2 software development, according to the air force.
“The DASH experiment gave us a chance to immerse software developers in the reality our warfighters face, so the tools they build are operational from day one,” Finney stated.
“Decision advantage is the capability gap that underwrites all others. With DASH, we’re not just closing that gap, we’re coding directly into it.”
Two DASH events will be facilitated later this year to refine software functions and inform future investments.
This first experiment was made possible in partnership with the 711th Human Performance Wing, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Integrated Capabilities Command, and the Royal Canadian Air Force air battle managers.
