EARTH BY THE NUMBERS


FIGURE 1


Te representation of terrain for a given geographic area must be visually verified and validated to ensure that the synthetic terrain reflects the appropriate “look and feel” of the


terrain and environment,


while also meeting the requirements of a given capability manager. Unlike other weapon systems and training devices in which requirements can readily be interpreted through a text-based require- ments document or system specification, synthetic-terrain representation require- ments present a unique set of challenges for proper interpretation.


Recent improvements and widespread availability of consumer geographic and mapping software applications, such as Apple Maps and Google Maps, have revolutionized the once niche field of commercial mapping. Te Synthetic Environment Core (SE Core) program, under the Program Executive Office for


GETTING CLOSER


Graphical KML representation of four fidelity scales for the Fort Bliss, TX, terrain representation re- quirements, from least detailed to most detailed moving from left to right. Training areas are shown in more detail, ancillary areas of Fort Bliss in less. When the product in question is a map, it’s much easier to communicate the requirements visually using map software rather than describing them in a text document. (SOURCE: Google Earth Pro)


Advancements in computing have empowered the Army, through modeling and simulation software, to transform maps into synthetic terrain representations that are used in simulation systems and devices to enable virtual and constructive training.


Simulation, Training and Instrumenta- tion (PEO STRI), has implemented a solution to the above-mentioned require- ments through one of these commercially available consumer mapping applica- tions—Google Earth Pro. Google Earth Pro builds on the capabilities of Google Earth and the less robust Google Maps by adding advanced geographic analysis features such as improved geographical measurement calculations and the abil- ity to import data from other geographic software applications.


REQUIREMENTS CHALLENGES Traditionally, synthetic terrain repre- sentation requirements were compiled through a text-based database content requirements


(DCR) document, which 178 Army AL&T Magazine October-December 2015


contained details


such as geographic


boundaries, terrain fidelity within a given extent, and geospecific 2-D and 3-D model features (such as those in Table 2 on Page 183). Te SE Core team identified several challenges when using this text-based DCR, especially when sharing the document with mul- tiple organizations and stakeholders. A text-based requirement describing a geo- graphic location in a specific coordinate space can be sufficiently detailed, but without a corresponding visual represen- tation, the description requires further geospatial analysis to fully comprehend.


Inversely, a requirement such as one stat- ing that the contractor “shall develop a synthetic terrain representation of Fort Bliss” is overly vague and requires


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208