DARPA
CoAX – Coalition TIE
Technology Integration Experiment
AFRL Rome, AIAI, Boeing, Dartmouth, DERA Malvern,
Lockheed Martin ATL, Michigan, OBJS, USC/ISI, UWF/IHMC
Support from BBN, GITI, ISX, MITRE, MIT Sloan, Schafer, Stanford
Coalition Agents eXperiment (CoAX)
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/coax/
Briefing Outline
CoAX
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CoAX/Briefing - 2
Aims and Contributions
Demonstration
Next Steps and Summary
CoAX
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Increasing military requirements for coalition
operations
Belief that agent computational model is a good fit
to meet coalition interoperability requirements
US and UK Agent Research Programmes
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Context
US DARPA Control of Agent Based Systems (CoABS)
UK DERA Agents Project
Need for “middleware” such as is provided by
CoABS Grid Infrastructure
CoAX/Briefing - 3
CoAX
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To address unique aspects of coalition operations
through the development and evaluation of:
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agent domain management services
agent task, process and event management services
Aim will be met through delivery of:
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Aim of Coalition TIE
Phased technical demonstrations of increasing
complexity
Connection of a variety of diverse agent systems
Development of generic Coalition-oriented grid
services
Requirements:
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CoAX/Briefing - 4
Use of a wide variety of different agent systems
Use of existing military (non-agent) applications
CoAX
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Different cultures, doctrines, and languages:
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Different doctrine, decision making, rules of engagement and,
in general, mission “agendas”
Command authorities - agreement and transfers
Different interpretation of situational information
Incompatibility of respective national information
systems:
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Key Coalition Drivers
Different technology skill and equipment levels
Lack of information systems resource sharing agreements
Variable reliability of components and infrastructures
Lack of compatible security architectures
Need for rapid configuration and reconfiguration by personnel
with limited training
Limited models for coalition force operations
Derived from LeRoy Pearce (Canadian MOD), 1999
CoAX/Briefing - 5
CoAX
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CoAX/Briefing - 6
Key Technical Drivers
Cannot assume interoperability, reliability or
availability of different nations systems
Need for partial (secure) sharing and
visualization of processes, data and facilities
Need to work with agents in multiple dynamically
determined domains
Need for flexible inter-agent task, process &
event management
Need for rapid formation, management and
change of agent relationships
CoAX Components
CoAX
Agents on the Grid
AODB Agent (LM-ATL)
Observer Agents (Dartmouth)
eGents E-mail Agents (OBJS)
Malicious Agents (IHMC)
Web Weather Agent (USC/ISI)
…
Agent Frameworks
KAoS Agents (Boeing, IHMC)
NOMADS Mobile Agents (IHMC)
EMAA/CAST Agents (LM-ATL)
D’Agents (Dartmouth)
eGents (OBJS)
LAN
Grid
LAN
DARPA
CoABS Grid
(GITI, ISX)
LAN
Military Systems
CAMPS (AFRL,GITI, BBN)
MBP (DERA)
…
CoAX/Briefing - 7
Agent Grid Services
Task and Process Management (AIAI)
Domain Management Services (IHMC, Boeing)
Asynchronous Wireless Connectivity (OBJS)
Plan Deconfliction (Michigan)
CoAX
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Agent Domain
Management in CoAX
Broadens typical distributed security concerns to include:
Access management: Who can access what services?
Registration management: Who can join the domain under what
circumstances?
Resource management: Who can have which kind and how much of
a given computing resource?
Mobility management: What constraints should be placed on mobile
code?
Communication management: What constraints govern interaction
between conversing agents?
Obligation management: Are agents meeting their commitments?
Initial capability shown in 9-month demo
Initial Capability slated for 18-month demo
Initial capability slated for 30-month demo
CoAX/Briefing - 8
CoAX
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Task, Process, and Event
Management in CoAX
Initially maintains an overview of the current status of the
coalition C2 processes in accessible shared military terms.
Can take on and address “issues” in the C2 process.
Later adds the ability to monitor, plan and control the coalition
C2 processes and deal with events arising from execution.
Links to and assists with domain management, authority,
exception management and other Grid management services.
To be packaged as generic task and process management
facilities that can be made available to other Grid applications.
Initial capability shown in 9-month demo
Initial Capability slated for 18-month demo
Initial capability slated for 30-month demo
CoAX/Briefing - 9
CoAX
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Focus on information-gathering phase of a Coalition Operation
First interoperation of agent-wrapped legacy and existing
US
and UK systems (AFRL/BBN/GITI CAMPS and DERA MBP)
Agents and domains
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6 agent domains and ~25 agents
USC/ISI Ariadne agent providing publicly-available weather info
Initial AIAI Process Panel
Domain management functionality
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Demo Overview
Malicious observer agent thwarted by IHMC KAoS domain
management and NOMADS resource control mechanisms
IHMC KAoS Policy Administration Tool (KPAT) administering
communication, registration, and resource policies
Stand-alone demonstrations:
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MIT exception handling
U. Michigan plan deconfliction
Dartmouth ‘observer agents’
OBJS eGents
CoAX/Briefing - 10
Briefing Outline
CoAX
CoAX/Briefing - 11
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Aims and Contributions
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Demonstration
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Next Steps and Summary
CoAX
Coalition Domain Types
Other
Nation's
'Domain'
JFAC HQ's
Organizational 'Domain'
Tactical Air
Operations Functional
'Domain'
CoAX/Briefing - 12
UK Country
'Domain'
JTFHQ's Organizational
'Domain'
US Country
'Domain'
CoAX
Current Demo
Agents and Domains
Gao Intel
Dbii
DM2
Intel2
Dbi
JTF HQ
JFAC HQ
US
DM4 MM4
AL Plan
AODB
MBP
Intel1
Weather
Viz
MM1
DM1
LM-ATL
AODB
CoAX/Briefing - 13
CAMPS
ALDB
MM2
Ariadne
Weather
PP'
MM3
DM3
Observers
(Intel)
MM5
DAO
DM5
Gao Obs.
GAO
NOMADS Guarded “Observers”
CoAX
Binni - Gateway to the
Golden Bowl of Africa
Cape
Kaso
LagoonAmstado
Daka
Pra
Cape
Vincent
Rathmell, R.A. (1999) A Coalition Force Scenario 'Binni - Gateway to the Golden Bowl of Africa',
In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Knowledge-Based Planning for Coalition Forces,
(ed. Tate, A.) pp. 115-125, Edinburgh, Scotland, 10th-11th May 1999.
CoAX/Briefing - 14
Forces separated by Firestorm
Kaso
Lagoon
GAO
Cape
Amstado
Daka
Binni
Gao
forces
Pra
Agadez
forces
AGADEZ
Cape
Vincent
GRAND
STRATEGIC
UN
UN Secretary
General
CoAX
MILITARY
STRATEGIC
GOVERNMENTS
National Grand Strategic
Joint HQs
OGDs
HOME BASE
UN SRSG
NGOs
THEATRE
US
JOINT TASK FORCE HQ
Joint Task Force
(JTF HQ)
Commander
Staffs: J1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps
JTFC
Other
Components:
OPERATIONAL
GAO
Joint Force Maritime
Component Commander
(JFMCC in JFMC HQ)
Staffs: N1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps
JFMCC
JFLCC
Coalition
TACTICAL
Joint Force Land
Component Commander
(JFLCC in JFLC HQ)
Staffs: G1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps
Maritime
Units
Nat'l
Personnel
Joint Force Air
Component Commander
(JFACC in JFAC HQ)
Staffs: A1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps
JFACC
Coalition
Land
Units
Nat'l
Personnel
Coalition
Air
Units
Nat'l
Personnel
Binni Coalition - C2 Structure and Commanders' Responsibilities
CoAX/Briefing - 16
LOGISTICS,
MARINES,
SF etc
Grandville
Antok
GAO
Red Sea
Kaso
Cape
Amstado
To Cunmege
Kaso
Lagoon
Anala
Libar
Biloo
Dado
GambaQ
Bave CACA
Kolla876
Hakkali REGION
Laval
Zatu
Minga
Dinga
Q
Higgville
Q
Masembi
527
Brongo
Daka
Q
Binni
Jinja
BANDAR
BANDAR
REGION
788
Bonrope
775
Kamongo
Sagiba
Wonka
Zaribe
UGWULU
Adaido
175
WESTERN REGION
Kwanabouri
Blackman
Tonka
NORTHERN REGION
268
Gao
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forces
Q
Asoba
CACA REGION
Gambaga
Nanga
Esuko Laponga
SIKASSO
Caca Dam
Aida
123
Achobo
Gonobo
Grandvache
Zingato
Saltpond
ASHANTI REGION
Libretto
613
Nedalla
Epidurango
CENTRAL REGION
707
Komenda
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AGADEZ
St Andrews
Slafito
390
Laki Safari
Park
Langford
Bisha
Agadez
Forces
Salisbury
588
Sagotown
752
Cape
Vincent
Sonara
EASTERN REGION
Wampimba
Akimbo
542
Anguiba
Kutchi
Deanville
613
Bisa
To Petit Paris
AGADEZ
Slabo
Suthertown
Wazilla
Belucar
False Agadez
forces
Sandosta
Q COSTA DEL
MARIA
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Kingtown
Sellerham
Lissa
Pra
Donga
Polia
UPPER REGION
436
Jamestown
LAKI
482
Diplombo
Elmina
CoAX
Observers Domain
Structure
Gao Intel
JTF HQ
US
JFAC HQ
Observers
(Intel)
MM
DM
Gao Obs.
DAO
GAO
CoAX/Briefing - 18
NOMADS Guarded “Observers”
Briefing Outline
CoAX
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Aims and Contributions
Demonstration
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Next Steps and Summary
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CoAX/Briefing - 19
CoAX Demo Emphasis
CoAX
Execution
Initial Planning
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Political aims
Military guidance
Campaign planning
Commander's intent
Deployment
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Variable Organizations
An opponent
Campaign re-planning
Short-notice taskings
Operation execution
Execution monitoring
Reporting / feedback
Outcome assessment
More Linear
Dynamic / iterative
uncertain
Is the focus of the
current demo
Is the focus of the
CoAX 18-month
demo
Recovery
• Conflict resolution
• Re-deployment
• Peace support
More Linear
CoAX 30-month demo
Covers all the above, plus greater levels of dynamic response and adaptation
to changes in Coalition structures, capabilities and services.
CoAX/Briefing - 20
CoAX
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More realism in coalition structures
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All CoAX members integrated (9 domains and ~35 agents)
Coalition agents playing multiple roles in different domains
New policies provide additional robustness and
responsiveness
Added functionality in process and task management
Increased scope of Binni scenario demonstration
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18-Month (July 2001)
Demonstration Plan
Richer information gathering phase
Extend scope to execution phase with agent systems
responding dynamically to events
Incorporating coalition functionality becomes easier
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Package selected domain management functionality as KAoS
grid helper
CoAX/Briefing - 21
18-Month (July 2001)
Demo Structure Observers
Dbiii
UK
CoAX
Intel3
Shared
MM7
Intel1a
DM7
CoAX/Briefing - 22
ALDB
Gao Obs.
DM6
MM2
Intel2
IM
EH
Plan Dec.
PP
Coalition
Weather
DAO
GAO
MM1 DM1 MBP
Intel1
AODB
(Intel)
DGO
MM6
JFAC HQ
US
LM-ATL CAMPS
DM5
DM8 MM8
Dbi
DM4 MM4
AL Plan
AODB
MM5
DM2
Gao Intel
MM3
Dbii
DM3
Ariadne
Met.
MM9
Weather
Viz
DM9
CoAX
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Dynamic “come as you are” coalition formation
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30-Month (July 2002)
Demonstration Plan
Dynamic creation of ‘virtual coalition organization’
Agents and domains added to coalition structure ‘on-the-fly’
Dynamic coalition tasks and processes
Tailored visualizations
Tools to improve human / software agent interaction
High-level tools usable without specialized training
Packaged task, process, and event management
capabilities as generic Grid services
CoAX/Briefing - 23
CoAX Message
CoAX
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Operational Message
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Technical Message
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CoAX/Briefing - 24
Interoperability of different nations’ systems
Agility and robustness
Support to coalition and “virtual” organizations
Agents as an appropriate paradigm to facilitate
interoperability of disparate systems
Middleware of CoABS Grid is valuable for rapid
configuration
Utility of domain management and task/process
management services
CoAX
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CoAX and Binni documentation available
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Further Information and
Involvement
100+ page ‘living document’ describing CoAX
contributions and Binni ‘FLASH’ scenario
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/coax/
We encourage further participation…
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CoAX/Briefing - 25
In addressing key coalition and technical drivers
In seeking operational opportunities
In seeking inter-program links
In future demonstrations
DARPA
Object Services and Consulting, Inc.
CoAX
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Spare Slides
Demonstration Schedule
Coalition domains slide with final overlay to show
the way in which a single person might span a
variety of organizational, country and functional
domains
Further summarization slide
CoAX/Briefing - 28
CoAX
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Demonstration Schedule
1-month demo in February 2000: showing direct connection
between DERA MBP and LM-ATL AODB
9-month demo in October 2000:
 Brief the CoAX TIE and Binni scenario
 Show integration of selected CoAX components
 Show that selected components interoperate in a Binni-based
scenario
 Tell a relevant “story” about agents for information gathering
phase
 Additional stand-alone demos of other components
18-month demo in July 2001: showing full integration of CoAX
components in a rich coalition scenario:
 Expanded scope to cover execution phase
 Focal point to engage other nations and research teams
30-month demo in July 2002: showing dynamic aspects of domain
management and tasking
CoAX/Briefing - 29
CoAX
Coalition Domain Types
Other
Nation's
'Domain'
JFAC HQ's
Organizational 'Domain'
Tactical Air
Operations Functional
'Domain'
CoAX/Briefing - 30
UK Country
'Domain'
JTFC's (from the UK)
Individual 'Domain'
JTFHQ's Organizational
'Domain'
US Country
'Domain'
CoAX
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Summary
Coalition operations is a matter of high concern
for the military and a great proving ground for
agent research
Binni provides mature rich source of realistic
scenario data
Actual military tools used in true cross-national
collaboration—hope to expand to additional
nations in the future
Seventeen partners cooperating in phased
technical integration demonstrators
CoABS Grid provided necessary interoperability
Significant new research issues being addressed
of both theoretical and practical significance
CoAX/Briefing - 31