Turning sci-fi into reality: "Virtual Flag" earns national recognition for network-centric joint wargaming exercises Published March 14, 2008 By Capt. Laura Ropelis 505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The Department of Defense presented the national 2007 Modeling and Simulation Award for "Virtual Flag" to the Distributed Mission Operations Center located at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., on March 11. "Virtual Flag" focuses on providing network-centric distributed training excellence through global virtual realistic wargaming to the joint warfighter. The lead in "Virtual Flag" is the DMOC, working with the Combined Air Operations Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., both of which fall under the 505th Command and Control Wing. "This award validates the great value of the training to the warfighter that is being provided every day by the DMOC. Realistic, integrated virtual training using high-fidelity models and simulations is no longer the 'wave of the future,' it is the 'here and now,'" said Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog, United States Air Force Warfare Center commander. In "Wargames," a 1983 movie starring Matthew Broderick, a hi-tech adolescent accidentally used technology to simulate a virtual threat. To many viewers, the technology featured in the film seemed more like science fiction than reality. Science fiction literally became reality during the Air Force "Virtual Flag 8-2," in which more than 350 joint forces across 22 locations globally connected. Joint forces engaged in virtual activities spanning strategic, operational and tactical levels of war, while integrating the entire array of air, cyber and space capabilities to increase warfighter readiness to the highest levels, said Col. John Horner, 505th Distributed Warfare Group commander. "Virtual Flag" is conducted by the Air Force four times per year with more than 600 joint and coalition warfighters for each exercise with global reach and impact. Distributed missions mirror real situations with multiple services, multiple weapons systems and multiple communication systems that have to work together when they deploy. "Virtual Flag" is the future virtual venue these warfighters have to access resources they would normally not have in their individual services. Learning how to interact and communicate jointly and execute their mission successfully with augmented capability within a global joint deployment means mission success or failure. Scenarios range from combat search and rescue to missile defense through air, space, sea, land and cyberspace engagement, reconnaissance and surveillance and can result in virtually saving lives, de-escalating a situation or winning a war. The "Virtual Flag 8-2" exercise integrates a new high-fidelity, theater-level scenario and threat environment, with multi-level security and state-of-the-art technology, said Colonel Horner Experienced pilots, joint forces, military leaders and hi-tech contractors integrated for three months prior to the "Virtual Flag 8-02" exercise to plan for seamless operations integrating new participants and technology in the joint virtual wargame. Integration of new participants for "Virtual Flag 8-02" includes F/A-18 simulators from Lemoore Naval Air Station, Calif., MQ-1 pilots from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., E-2C Hawkeye 2000 simulators from "Pax River" Naval Air Station Complex, Md., American Forces in Europe and the 710th Combat Operations squadron from Langley Air Force Base, Va. "The DMOC has grown its integrated systems by 102 percent in the last two years, which includes 16 new major weapons systems," said 1st Lt. Travis Lee, 705th Combat Training Squadron's executive officer. "Virtual Flag 8-2" this week integrated pilots from the 64th Aggressor Squadron to pose as the virtual enemy. Depending on the significance of the threat and the mission, the joint forces can call upon the Air Force or joint attack controllers, highly experienced Airmen usually embedded in the Army. In this exercise, two Naval AEGIS ships participated, adding enhanced capabilities. Patriot missiles and missile defense systems were resourced when needed. Maj. Woody Query, "Virtual Flag " exercise director, monitored and directed the action that prepared the joint warfighters during the exercise by taking them out of their comfort zone and putting them in new futuristic distributed mission simulations, challenging participants with relevant threats at a constant pace. What is the challenge? "Virtual Flag" started in 2000 when the various services, working in isolation, were limited to a specific mission with specific resources. When combined and interoperable, using a clear command and control "common operating picture", the joint forces complement each other and multiply the force with vast diverse resources at their immediate disposal
