It concluded that, rather than start a new program to replace JSIMS, the Defense Department should backtrack and reassess its requirements for joint-simulation systems.
"The nature of our study changed from what people had anticipated--go back and figure out how to do another JSIMS program--to wisely take a step back and look at training on a larger perspective, try to find cost effective methods to solve the current gaps in training," Hartman told National Defense.
SAIC supports the US military's three premier simulation training programs: WAR-SIM 2000,
JSIMS and NASM.
When JSIMS was cancelled in September 2003, the first version of the software called block I was undergoing verification and validation testing at the Joint Warfighting Center--the primary user of JSIMS.
An analysis of alternatives is underway, to determine what exactly will replace JSIMS. Some critics have said that the analysis will recommend that JSIMS cease to be a joint program and be parsed into separate systems for each service.
In building ACTF, the Army must bring in the systems components that
JSIMS would have provided, said Dietrick.
Military services and several federal agencies are providing the components to operate within the
JSIMS umbrella.
At the Pentagon these days, there are programs far more popular than
JSIMS. Among them are unmanned aircraft.
Ironically, at the same time the Defense Department was issuing its directive to cancel
JSIMS, the program was delivering the first version of the software, called block 1.
WARSIM 2000 is being designed to provide the land component of
JSIMS. Lockheed Martin Information Systems, based in Orlando, also has a March deadline.
Warsim could be available as early as 2004, but its future is tied to
JSIMS, which has suffered delays and cost overruns since the program began in 1997.
But he believes the expense will be justified, if
JSIMS can replace the dozens of simulations that the individual services have developed.
