Design Plan JTLS-0185
ROLANDS & ASSOCIATES Corporation
JTLS-0185 Status Of Destroyed Shows For Returned Convoys
Ellen Roland
1.0 Summary of Model Change Request
The IMT displays a final Convoy posture as “Destroyed”. This is not always a true statement. A
convoy can be removed from the game because:
• It has been destroyed by enemy activity
• It has returned home and completed its task
• It has been canceled by the user and will not conduct its previously mission.
These differences should be represented in the model and the final status of the convoy should
be correctly displayed on the IMT for the user.
The ECP also discusses the fact that the Convoy, once completed, no longer is visible on the IMT
hen the IMT is refreshed. Although the ECP does not suggest if anything should be done about
this situation, the design does address the issue.
2.0 Design Summary
The model will reflect the proper final posture for a Convoy. The final represented postures will
be:
• DESTROYED - meaning that all convoy assets have been killed by the enemy
• COMPLETED - meaning that the convoy has returned to its designated final location and
the assets have been returned to its home unit for reassignment and reuse.
• CANCELED - meaning that the convoy was canceled prior to leaving its home station. Its
assets, including supplies, were return to its home station.
3.0 Detailed Design
3.1 Background
Convoys are known as temporary entities within JTLS. They are created when supplies need to be
moved and after the supplies have been delivered and the convoy has returned to its home base,
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the convoy entity is removed from the game. From a programming standpoint. this is known as
“Destroying” the entity which releases the memory holding the attributes of the convoy. The
programming term unfortunately was used for the convoy’s final posture before being removed
the object from the game.
Air Missions are also temporary entities in JTLS and from a design point of view a consistent
management of these entities within the user interface is desirable. That being said, there are
some major difference between Air Missions and Convoys which make a completely consistent
interface less appealing. These differences are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1. Differences Between Air Missions And Convoys
AIR MISSIONS
CONVOYS
Air Missions are never automatically generated.
Convoys are usually automatically generated when a
requisition is received at a Support Unit. Some
convoys can be created by a Directed Resupply
Order.
A user always names an Air Mission
The JTLS system always names Convoys.
Air Missions exists for some time after the mission is
complete for purposes of reporting to C4I systems
and to allow users access to the final status of the
mission after it has been completed.
Convoys are removed from the game immediately
after the are destroyed, completed or canceled. This
is the reason that the object is removed from the IMT
display when the screen is refreshed.
Although not a part of this design, NATO plans on linking JTLS to a real-world logistics planning
tool called Logistics Functional Area Services (LOGFAS). The eventual goal of this project is to
have JTLS access the system and automatically generate simulated Convoys in a manner similar
to the way JTLS accesses the U.S. Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS) and NATO’s
Integrated Command and Control (ICC) system to generate Air Missions. To eventually
accomplish this task, Convoys will need user defined names so the C4I system can be updated.
The remainder of this design discusses the changes that will be made to accommodate the ECP
requested changes.
3.2 Improve User Orders For Convoy Creation
Currently there are three JTLS orders used to specifically create a convoy. These orders are:
• Directed Resupply - this order is used to transport supplies from one or more locations
and deliver these supplies to one or more locations. The supplies moved must be
available for distribution meaning that the unit providing the supplies does not need them
for their own use.
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• Mandatory Transfer - this order is used to transport supplies from one location to another
location. The supplies moved will always be taken from the providing unit, whether the
unit feels it needs the supplies for its own use or not. The Mandatory Transfer Order is
primarily used to represent the replenishment of naval supplies at sea.
• Transport Unit - this order is used to move an aggregate unit from one location to another.
The design team believes that to properly represent the final posture of a Convoy and to fulfill the
needs of JTLS-2011-10935 Create Convoys At Future Time, these orders need to be reviewed
and made more consistent with other aspects of JTLS. For this reason, Convoys will be given
execution plans in a manner similar to the new approach being given to Air Missions as a part of
JTLS-2013-11680 Air Mission Execution Plans.
Table 2 summarizes the changes that will be made in the orders used by the player to specifically
direct the movement of supplies, while Table 3 through Table 11 describe the individual orders in
detail. In these tables, a Green highlighted row indicates a Mandatory Field, and a Yellow
highlighted row indicates an Optional Field.
Table 2. Summary Of New Resupply Orders
ORDER
Directed Resupply
PURPOSE
This order will be used to direct a convoy to move supplies from one
location to another location. The convoy can make several stops. At
each stop the convoy can pickup supplies or drop off supplies. When
picking up supplies, the order will indicate whether the providing unit
should only give what it is not using or whether it should give whatever
it has.
This order is described in Table 3.
Mandatory Transfer
This order will be removed from the game. As part of the Directed
Resupply order the user will indicate whether the supplies taken
should mandatory transfer rules or not.
Replenish Unit.
Given that the Mandatory Transfer Order will no longer exist, a
replacement order is required to represent the replenishment of
supplies at sea. The Design Team has decided to call this new order
the Replenish Unit order and it will not be limited only to ships. This
order will tell one unit to move to and replenish another unit. This
obviously is useful for the representation of ship underway
replenishment, but can also be used to represent the transfer of
supplies from one ground unit to another.
Transport Unit
This order will not change as a result of this design.
Implicit Resupply Order
This order can be given to any non-support unit. It allows the unit to
provide supplies using an implicit convoy to any other single unit.
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3.2.1 Directed Resupply Order Design
The Directed Resupply Order will be the primary Player Order used to create a convoy.
3.2.1.1 New Directed Resupply Order Panel.
Table 3 describes the format of the new Directed Resupply Order.
Table 3. New Directed Resupply Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Convoy Name
The reference of the order is the name of
the convoy. This is equivalent to the manner
the naming convention for Air Missions.
Sending Unit
The Unit providing the supplies. This unit
must be a Support Unit.
Time
This is the time the convoy should become
active. It is at this time the Convoy will ask
for the supplies and the required movement
assets to conduct its task.
Type Task
Single Delivery
Point
Receiving Unit
The unit to which the supplies should be
delivered. This can be any Friendly or
Neutral Unit,
Location
The location to which the supplies should be
delivered. The rules for how these two fields
will be interpreted is covered in
Supply List
The list of supplies that should be delivered.
This utility directive is shown in Table 4.
Type Asset
The Type Asset that should be used. There
are four choices.
• Best Available
• Trucks
• Barges
• Rail
Multiple Delivery
Points
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Backhaul
Permitted
A Yes or No indicator whether the convoy is
allowed to haul back Remains and
Casualties from within the Co-located Area
around the delivery location.
Transport
Instructions
This is a Utility List that defines all of the
stops this convoy should make. These stops
will be visible on the IMT. This Utility List is
described in Table 5.
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Table 3. New Directed Resupply Order
FIELD
Type Task (Con’t)
GROUP OPTION
Multiple Delivery
Points (Con’t)
GROUP FIELD
Number Cargo
Trucks
EXPLANATION
Number Tanker
Trucks
Multiple delivery convoys can only be
accomplished with Trucks. This was a
limitation of previous versions. A new ECP
will need to be opened if this restriction
should be removed from JTLS.
Number Utility
Trucks
These fields hold the number of assets that
should be used in the convoy.
Table 4. Directed Resupply Supply List
RECORD FIELD
EXPLANATION
Supply Category
The Supply Category that should be moved.
Supply Amount
The amount of the Supply Category that should be moved.
Mandatory Provisions
This is an answer field with possible values of Yes and No. The Default is NO.
• A Yes means the requested supplies should be taken from the providing
unit no matter what the current level of the supplies is at the sending unit.
Note before using supplies it needs for itself, the unit will look for collocated
supplies following the current JTLS rules.
• A No means the unit will only give what it does not need for its own use.
Table 5. Convoy Transport Instruction List
RECORD FIELD
Type Location
JTLS 5.0.0.0
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Transit Point
Location
The location of the point through which the
convoy must travel
Supply Point
Receiving Unit
The Friendly or Neutral Unit that should
receive the supplies and from which
supplies are to be picked up. If these are not
the same, two records need to be created.
Location
The location to which the supplies should be
delivered.
Drop Off Supply
List
This is a supply list which specifies only the
type and amount of supplies that should be
delivered to the location. This Utility
Directive already exists in JTLS.
Pickup Supply List
This is the same supply list as specified in
Table 4.
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Table 5. Convoy Transport Instruction List
RECORD FIELD
Delay Option
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
No Delay
EXPLANATION
This option results in the convoy leaving the
specified point as soon as the supply
transfer specified by the instruction is
complete.
Leave Option
Leave Time
This is the time the Convoy should leave the
specified point. If this time is later than the
arrival time of the Convoy, the Convoy will
enter a Waiting Posture.
Wait Option
Wait Time
This is the amount of time the Convoy
should wait at this transit point.
3.2.1.2 Location and Receiving Unit Rules
The single destination and the multiple destination options each have the ability to specify one or
both of the Receiving Unit and Location Fields
There are three rules that define how the model will interpret the Delivery Location Field and the
Receiving Unit Field as found on the Directed Resupply Panel and on the Transport Instruction
Utility List.
• If a Receiving Unit is only specified, the convoy will go to the perceived location of the unit.
If when it gets there, the unit is not there, the convoy will go to the new perceived location
for the unit. If the perceived location has not changed, the supplies will be brought back to
the sending unit.
• If only a location is specified, the supplies will be distributed to all own-side units in the
area. If there are no units, the supplies will be placed on the ground.
• If both are entered, the convoy will go to the location specified and given the supplies to
the designated unit. If the designated unit is not at the location, the supplies will be
distributed to own-side units and any units on the same side as the Receiving Unit in the
area. Any excess supplies will be placed on the ground.
3.2.1.3 Other Rules And Implications
The following items should be noted by the reader:
• Only trucks are allowed for multiple destination convoys. This same restriction existing in
previous versions of JTLS. To remove this restriction a new ECP will need to be submitted.
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• Heavy Equipment Transport (HET) assets cannot be used for the movement of supplies.
They can only be used for the transport of a unit.
3.2.2 New Replenish Unit Order
As mentioned above, the old Mandatory Transfer Order as used to replenish ships at sea. Since
code consolidation for JTLS 5.0 results in the removal of the Mandatory Transfer Order, a new
order is required to accomplish the task of underway replenishment. This will now be done with
the Replenish Unit Order.
3.2.2.1 Basic Order Functionality
The old Mandatory Transfer Order relied on two database parameters SLP MANDATORY
TRANSFER DISTANCE MAX and SLP MANDATORY TRANSFER TIME. For user ease, these two
database parameters will be renamed to be SLP REPLENISHMENT MAX DISTANCE and SLP
REPLENISHMENT TIME.
The Replenish Unit Order is designed to allow any unit to replenish any other unit under certain
restrictions summarized in Table 6.
Table 6. Replenish Unit Order Rules
SENDING UNIT
RECEIVING UNIT
GROUND UNIT
NAVAL UNIT
Ground Unit
If the two units are within the database
parameter COLOCATED DISTANCE, the
transfer of supplies will be instantaneous.
All other supply transfers are assumed to be
Implicit Convoys and follow the timing rules
that already exist in JTLS.
This will only be allowed if the two units have
overlapping radii. The transfer of supplies is
assumed to take the time required to move
the supplies using the Naval Unit’s SUP
PORT ONLOAD WET and SUP PORT ONLOAD
DRY database parameters. These database
parameters represent the amount of time
that can be on loaded per day.
Naval Unit
This will only be allowed if the two units have
overlapping radii. The transfer of supplies is
assumed to take the time required to move
the supplies using the Naval Unit’s SUP
PORT OFFLOAD WET and SUP PORT
OFFLOAD DRY database parameters. These
database parameters represent the amount
of time that can be on loaded per day.
The two naval units must be within each
other’s SLP REPLENISHMENT MAX
DISTANCE. The time required to accomplish
the transfer will not be represented. The
transfer of supplies will be instantaneous.
The reasoning for this decision is discussed
below.
As mentioned in Table 6, the transfer of supplies from one Naval Unit to another Naval unit will be
accomplished instantaneously. Currently there is no existing data in JTLS to properly represent
the time required to accomplish the underway replenishment task. If it were as easy as adding
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additional database parameters, the Design Team would have added the new data and included
the capability.
The problem was more widespread than just data. Currently there is no way to link the two ships
that are participating in the replenishment task. If we had added new data, there is no logic in
place to keep the two ships within SLP REPLENISHMENT MAX DISTANCE of each other
throughout the replenishment task. Since the entire process could not be realistically
represented, the Design Team decided to simply make the transfer of supplies instantaneous.
Improving this function can become an Engineering Change Proposal and implemented at a later
date.
3.2.2.2 Replenish Unit Order
As mentioned in JTLS-0017 Ground Directives Egress Route all units in JTLS will now hold two
sets of orders. The first set is called the Execution Plan for the unit and it includes a list of
sequential tasks that the unit should accomplish. The second set is known as the Pending Order
set. Orders that can exist in this set can be executed simultaneously with the Execution Plan
orders. For example, a Unit can be executing an Attack Order and simultaneously Fire Artillery.
When designing a new order, the Design Team must decide which of the following three
categories an order should belong:
• An execution plan order
• A pending order
• A order with no time scheduling capability - Given ECP JTLS-2011-10935 Create Convoys
At Future Time wants convoy creation to be linked with a time, this option was not even
considered.
Selecting the proper timing option was not an easy decision. For the Replenish Unit order, the
Design Team felt that the Execution Plan option made more sense. It seemed reasonable that a
Player would want to move a unit into position and then transfer the supplies. Given that
transferring supplies from one unit to another depended greatly on the positioning of the units, it
was only reasonable to link the two operations - movement and supply transfer. This implies the
need to place the Replenish Unit Order in the Execution Plan.
On the other hand, the Directed Resupply Order is not the type of order which requires any
sequential timing. In fact quite the opposite is true. A given Support Unit is not limited to creating
and loading one convoy at a time. Given enough assets, such as trucks and loading facilities,
several convoys can be loaded at once. For this reason the Directed Resupply Order is placed in
the Pending Order Set When the order time is reached, the unit will execute the order and its
timing restriction will take over.
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Given that background Table 7 describes the new Replenish Unit Order.
Table 7. New Replenish Unit Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Reference
The name of the order so it can be recalled
from the Order queue.
Sending Unit
The name of the unit that will be providing
the supplies.
Receiving Unit
The name of the unit receiving the supplies.
It must be either Friendly or Neutral to the
sending unit.
Location
The location at which the Sending Unit
should be when it attempts to replenish the
Receiving Unit.
Supply List
The list of supplies that should be delivered.
This utility directive is shown in Table 4.
Type Route
Ground
Ground Ingress
Route
This is a Ground Route Utility Directive that
follow the Ground Execution Plan rules
defined in ECP JTLS-0017 Ground Directives
Egress Route. The order panel will insure:
• The Sending Unit is a Ground Unit.
• The Location Field was filled.
Naval
Ground Egress
Route
This is a Ground Route Utility Directive. The
order panel will insure that the Sending Unit
is a Ground Unit.
Naval Ingress
Route
This is a Naval Route Utility Directive. The
order panel will insure:
• The Sending Unit is a Naval Unit.
• The Location Field was filled.
Execution Time
JTLS 5.0.0.0
Naval Egress
Route
This is a Naval Route Utility Directive. The
order panel will insure that the Sending Unit
is a Naval Unit.
Start Time Option
Start Time
The time this order should start to execute.
If a movement path is specified, it is the
time the unit will start to move.
Arrival Time
Option
Arrival Time
The time the unit should arrive at the
specified Location. If no location is
specified, there is no difference between
using this option and using the Start Time
Option.
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Table 7. New Replenish Unit Order
FIELD
Execution Time
(Con’t)
GROUP OPTION
Sequence
Number Option
GROUP FIELD
Sequence
Number
Now Option
EXPLANATION
The sequence number of the order.
As with l other Execution Plan Orders, the
NOW Option indicates that the units
Execution Plan should be cleared and this
order executed immediate
3.2.3 New Implicit Resupply Order
This order provides the Player with a time controlled magic movement of supply capability.
3.2.3.1 Basic Order Functionality
There are no location restrictions nor any unit type restrictions when implementing this order.
The following logic will be used when implementing this order:
• The distance between the two units is computed.
• The time required to send the supplies is computed using this distances and the existing
database parameter, SLP IMPLICIT CONVOY SPEED.
• The supplies are taken from the sending unit.
• After the computed time the supplies arrive at the receiving unit.
Since there are no location restrictions and from the Sending Unit’s perspective the gathering of
the supplies is instantaneous, the design team felt that it was most appropriate to place this
order in the unit’s Pending Order Set and not in the Execution Plan.
3.2.3.2 Implicit Resupply Order Panel
Table 8 defines the format for the new Implicit Resupply Order.
Table 8. New Implicit Resupply Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Reference
The name of the order so it can be recalled
from the Order queue.
Sending Unit
The name of the unit that will be providing
the supplies.
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Table 8. New Implicit Resupply Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Receiving Unit
The name of the unit receiving the supplies.
It must be either Friendly or Neutral to the
sending unit.
Supply List
The list of supplies that should be delivered.
This utility directive is shown in Table 4.
Execution Time
The time at which the supplies should be
gathered and sent on its way to the
Receiving Unit using an Implicit Convoy
3.3 Automatically Generated Convoys
Automatically generated convoys are an important aspect of JTLS and this capability will not be
removed from the game. When the model creates an automatically generated convoy either to
fulfill an existing Push Order or a Requisition, a Single Point Directed Resupply Order will be
created and have the order attributes shown in Table 9.
Table 9. Automatically Generated Directed Resupply Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Convoy Name
The naming convention for automatically
generated convoys will not change as a
result of this design.
Sending Unit
The Unit to which the requisition was sent or
the Push Order was sent.
Time
The order is sent with a request time of
ASAP. The lack of supplies, transportation
assets, loading facilities may result in the
order being queued for execution.
Type Task
JTLS 5.0.0.0
Single Delivery
Point
Receiving Unit
The unit to which the supplies should be
delivered. This is either the unit that
submitted the requisition or the unit was
designated to receive the Push of supplies.
Supply List
The list of supplies that should be delivered.
This utility directive is shown in Table 4. All
supplies will be specified as non-mandatory
meaning that the Sending Unit will only
provide supplies that it does not need for its
own use.
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Table 9. Automatically Generated Directed Resupply Order
FIELD
Type Task (Con’t)
GROUP OPTION
Single Delivery
Point (Con’t)
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Type Asset
Best Available option will be selected for the
asset type.
Backhaul
Permitted
The Backhaul flag will be set to the value of
the Sending Unit’s SLP BACKHAUL
PERMITTED database parameter.
3.4 Altering Convoy Operations
So many of the ECPs in JTLS 5.0.0.0, such as ECP JTLS-2013-11755 Give Convoys Specific
Routes provide for more control over convoys. Along with this additional control must be the
capability to alter the control. This section describes the alteration capability that will be
delivered with this version of JTLS.
3.4.1 Directed Resupply Order
There are three distinct phases in the execution of a Directed Resupply Order. These are:
1. Prior to initial execution
2. Between initial execution and the fulfilling of the request
3. After the convoy is created.
This section of the design is only considering Phase 1 and Phase 2. Once the convoy is created, it
can be altered following the capabilities described in Section 3.4.4.
Prior to the order execution, any scheduled Directed Resupply Orders will be visible as a Pending
Order for the sending unit on the IMT. The Order Name is provided and the existing Cancel
Pending Order panel can be used to cancel the Directed Resupply. There will be no option to alter
the Directed Resupply Order. The only option available to the player will be to cancel the order
and resubmit the order with newly provided information.
After initial execution, there are three possibilities:
• The complete order was fulfilled and a convoy formed. Once this happens the order will no
longer appear as a Pending Order. The convoy can be controlled using the capabilities
described in Section 3.4.4.
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• A portion of the order was fulfilled. The portion that was fulfilled belongs to a specific
convoy and the convoy can again be controlled using the capabilities described in
Section 3.4.4. The portion that was not fulfilled will still be visible on the Sending Unit’s
Pending Order IMT display. As a Pending Order it can be canceled using the Cancel
Pending Order panel.
• All or a portion of the order was fulfilled and it does not belong to a Convoy because the
sending unit and the receiving unit are within SLP IMPLICIT RESUPPLY DISTANCE. The
Design Team does not plan on making Implicit Resupply events visible to the Player. They
cannot be canceled. Providing this information to the player is not a particularly difficult
task, but given the size of JTLS 5.0.0.0, the Design Team does not feel there is enough
time to allocate to this unrequested improvement. Making Implicit Resupply events visible
and allowing a Player to cancel then does not take any able database changes. It can
easily be added as an improvement after the initial JTLS 5.0.0.0 delivery.
3.4.2 Replenish Unit Order
Since the Replenish Unit Order will belong to a unit’s Execution Plan, the full capability of
canceling and resubmitting an Execution Plan order will be available to the Player. No specific
model changes will be required for this capability.
3.4.3 Implicit Resupply Order
As described in Section 3.4.1 for the Directed Resupply Order, the Implicit Resupply Order will be
visible to the Player on the unit’s Pending Order display. It can be identified and canceled using
the Cancel Pending Order panel.
Unlike the Directed Resupply Order, a convoy will never be created as a result of this order. When
execute, there are two possibilities:
• All of the requested supplies were available. The Implicit Resupply Event is scheduled and
as previously described it cannot be stopped or changed.
• A portion, maybe all, of the supplies were not available to send. The portion of the Implict
Resupply Order that is unfulfilled will remain as a Pending Order and can be canceled by
the Player.
3.4.4 Managing Existing Convoy
Once a convoy is created, the Player will have full control over its Execution Plan. These functions
are described in Table 10.
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Table 10. Alter Execution Plan
CAPABILITY
DESCRIPTION
Add Delivery Item or Transit
Point
The user can add a delivery item or transit point to the convoy. Either a start
time, arrive time, or sequence number can be specified. The item will be
placed in the appropriate place in the Execution Plan.
Delete Delivery Item or Transit
Point
The order will be removed from the plan. Only future items in the Execution
Plan can be canceled with this option.
Cancel Current Executing Order
This option tells the convoy to immediately cancel the order it is currently
executing. The results of this cancellation are:
• Move - the move is canceled and the next order in the plan will start.
• Loading - the load is canceled and all supplies will be given back to the
providing unit.
• Offloading - the offload is canceled and all supplies will be given back to the
convoy.
• Waiting or Holding - the order is canceled and the next order in the plan will
start.
Alter Supplies
This can only be done for a future order.
Alter Receiving or Providing
Unit
This can only be done for future orders.
Alter the Execution Time
This can only be done for future orders.
As importantly as what you can do, is what you will not be able to do in JTLS 5.0.0.0. You will not
be able to:
• Add movement assets (trucks, railcars, barges) to a convoy
• Split a convoy in two.
• Have a Controller damage a convoy
Each of these capability are feasible, but are beyond the scope and implementation limits
associated with JTLS 5.0.0.0.
Table 11 outlines the new Manage Convoy Order that is used to alter the Execution Plan of an
existing Convoy.
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Table 11. New Manage Convoy Order
FIELD
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Reference
The name of the order so it can be recalled
from the Order queue.
Convoy Name
The name of convoy whose plan is to be
altered.
Type Change
Add Delivery
Instruction
Instruction List
This is the name of an existing Convoy
Instruction List Utility. The format of this list
was described in Table 5.
Delete Future
Order
Order ID number
This is the ID number of the order that
should be deleted.
Cancel Current Order
Modify Future
Order
JTLS 5.0.0.0
There are no fields associated with this
option. Table 10 described the planned logic
for this option.
Order ID number
This field identifies which of the future
orders should be modified.
Change Location
If specified, the location of the order will be
modified.
Change Unit
If specified, the unit associated with the
order will be changed. This is either the unit
to which supplies are to be given or the unit
that will provide the designated supplies.
Change Drop Off
Supply List
If specified, the drop off list will be changed.
Currently the plan is to do only allow a
Supply List replacement instead of allowing
users to add and delete items and amounts
from the list. This limitation is open for
discussion with the Government.
Change Pickup
Supply List
If specified, the pickup list will be changed.
Currently the plan is to do only allow a
Supply List replacement instead of allowing
users to add and delete items and amounts
from the list. This limitation is open for
discussion with the Government.
Change Delay
Time
If specified, the relative delay time for the
order will be changed, If a leave time has
been previously specified, it will be thrown
away.
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Table 11. New Manage Convoy Order
FIELD
Type Change
(Con’t)
GROUP OPTION
GROUP FIELD
EXPLANATION
Modify Future
Order (Con’t)
Change Leave
Time
If specified, the leave time for the order will
be changed. If a delay time has been
previously specified, it will be thrown away.
Change Home
New Home
This must be a Support Unit. The order is
accepted and acted upon immediately. The
assets in the convoy are removed from the
TOE count of the old home and added to the
TOE count of the new home location.
3.5 Convoy Naming
Convoys can be created automatically by the model, as the result of a Player submitting a
Directed Resupply Order, or by an external program submitting a Directed Resupply Order.
Currently the model always generates a name for a Convoy name by concatenating the following
information:
• The Unit Identification Code (UIC) of the home Support Unit
• A dash separator
• The date in the scenario
• The convoy number for that date
• Another dash separator
• The UIC of the Receiving Unit. If this is a multi-stop convoy then the word MULTIPLE is
used instead of the Receiving Unit UIC.
For example, assume that the twelfth convoy of the day is traveling from a Support Unit with a UIC
USA1077 and heading to a unit with a UIC of NZF3450 on 15 November. The name assigned to
the model would be USA1077-150012-NZF3450
Since a UIC can be up to 9 characters long, these rules result in a maximum of 26 characters for
the Convoy Name, which the Design Team feels is long and cumbersome.This design calls for
reducing the number of characters to 20 to be more consistent with other object naming
conventions within JTLS. Table 12 defines the naming conventions that will be used for each of
these possible methods that result in the creation of a Convoy.
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Table 12. Convoy Naming Design
CONVOY TYPE
Automatically Generated
Convoys
NAMING CONVENTION
Automatically generated convoys will have a maximum of 16 characters made
up of:
• UIC of the Home Support Unit
• A dash (-) separator
• The date on which it was created
• The sequence number for the convoy on that date.
• The word AUTO indicating it is an automatically generated convoy
Our above example Convoy would be given a name of USA1077-150012AUTO
Player Ordered Convoys
The Directed Resupply Order will allow the Player to enter up to 9 characters for
the name of the Convoy. Using rules similar to Air Missions, any Convoy name
that is 9 or few characters will automatically have a unique identifier added to
the Convoy name. This unique identifier will be the dash separator along with
the date and the convoy sequence number.
For example, assume that the Player has submitted a Directed Resupply Order
with the name EMERG_POL. The resulting Convoy will have a name such as
EMERG_POL-150013.
Externally Created Convoys
If an external program submits a Directed Resupply order and they enter a
name longer than 9 characters, then the unique identifier will not be added by
the model. For example, assume an external program sent a Directed Resupply
Order with a name of EMERG_POL_FOR CAM1, that is the exact name that the
Convoy will have. This entire process is the same process being used
successfully for Air Missions.
3.6 Convoy Status Posture
Convoys will always have a posture. These postures are described in Table 13.
Table 13. Proposed Convoy Postures
POSTURE
MEANING
Loading
The convoy is currently loading supplies. This loading can be at the convoy’s
home location or at one of the convoy’s Transport Instruction Locations.
Unloading
The convoy is currently offloading supplies. This offload process can be at the
convoy’s home location or at one of the convoy’s Transport Instruction
Locations.
Moving
The convoy is currently traveling from one location to another.
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Table 13. Proposed Convoy Postures
POSTURE
MEANING
Waiting
The convoy is stopped and is waiting for an asset to off load or onload the
cargo. If Materiel Handling Equipment is to be used, the convoy may be queued
to use the equipment. Similarly, if Elementary Loading Facilities (ELFs) are to
be used, the convoy may be waiting for these assets.
Holding
The convoy is holding for its release time to be over. As part of the Transport
Instructions, the Player can indicate that the convoy should hold until a
specified time or a specified amount of time. While in this state, the convoy will
report its posture as Holding.
Complete
When the convoy has completed its Execution Plan and has returned to its
designate home location, the posture is changed to Complete. The assets are
returned to the unit and can be immediately turned around to fulfill the
requirements of another convoy.
Canceled
If the user cancels the convoy using the Manage Convoy Order described in
Table 11, the convoy is marked as a canceled convoy. The convoy immediately
drops all future tasks and stops the current task. The convoy then starts
moving toward home. While moving toward home its posture will be Moving.
Once it reaches home, its posture will change to Canceled.
Destroyed
If all of the assets in the convoy are killed, the convoy will show a posture of
Destroyed. Note in previous versions of JTLS, it was not always readily apparent
that a convoy was killed. Sometime the convoy would not realize it was "Dead"
until in move the next time. That will be changed as a result of this design. the
moment the Convoy loses all of its assets, it will show a posture of Destroyed.
3.7 Convoy Completion Logic
Note Table 11, describing the Manage Convoy Order, did not include an order to cancel the
convoy. The Design Team specifically made this decision because there are too many options
concerning what should be done with the convoy. Instead, the Player must specifically clear out
the Convoy’s Execution Plan leaving any orders containing the path over which the convoy should
travel back to it home Support Unit.
If any of these cleared orders are supply locations, the Convoy is marked as a Canceled Convoy. If
the Player enters any new supply locations to the Execution Plan, the Cancellation marking on the
Convoy is cleared. Thus when the Convoy executes its last Execution Plan order, the model will
know if the Convoy posture should be labeled "Completed" or "Canceled".
If a Convoy loses all of its assets, it is marked as "Destroyed" and its removal from the game is
scheduled based on the logic described in Convoys Remaining In System For A Period Of Time,
Section 3.8. There is nothing else that needs to be done because all remaining supplies are
assumed to be destroyed along with the Convoy.
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The purpose of this section is to outline the completion logic that the model will implement when
a Convoy completes executing its last Execution Plan order. These rules are different for Truck
Convoys and Rail or Barge Convoys and are outlined Table 14,
Table 14. Convoy Completion Rules
TRUCK CONVOYS
BARGE / RAIL CONVOYS
If the Convoy is not located in its Home Unit coverage
circle, a new movement order is submitted and
started.
This rule does not apply to barge and rail Convoys.
All remaining supplies are given to the Home Support
Unit and distributed following the rules existing in
previous versions of JTLS. This may result in supplies
being placed in a Supply Cache.
All remaining supplies are distributed to own-side
units within COLOCATED DISTANCE of the Convoy’s
ending location. Any supplies that could not be
distributed will be placed in a Supply Cache.
The transportation assets (trucks) are return to the
support Unit.
The transportation assets (barges and railcars) are
returned to the Faction’s asset queue.
The posture, Completed or Canceled is assigned to the Convoy.
The convoy is marked as inactive meaning the user can no longer modify the convoy’s Execution Plan.
The event to remove the Convoy from the game is scheduled according the rules described in Section 3.8.
The Support Unit decides if the returned assets, both
trucks and supplies can be used to start another
convoy.
The model looks at all Support units on the same
side as the Convoy and decides if the returned
assets can be used to start another convoy.
3.8 Convoys Remaining In System For A Period Of Time
There is little use for this entire ECP, if convoys do not stay visible for a length of time after they
are removed from the game. As mentioned, Air Missions have an algorithm based on whether
they belong to an air Tasking Order, the length of time it takes for the mission to compile and
reports its Mission Report (MISREP) and the database parameter FS ATO MISSION REMOVE
DELAY. Although there is currently no such concept as a Logistics ATO or a Convoy Report, the
Design Team feels eventually these concepts may be added to JTLS.
Until that happens, a single Force Side parameter called FS CONVOY REMOVE DELAY parameter
will be added to the database. Consider the following example. Assume that the FS CONVOY
REMOVE DELAY parameter is set to 0.25 days and the truck convoy returns home at 2006 on 14
November 2014. Further assume that this is the last order the Convoy has in its execution plan.
When the Convoy arrives home, it will give any remaining carried supplies to its Home Support
Unit, it will return its remaining truck asset to the unitremain in the system, without any assets,
for six hours. At 0206 on 15 November 2014, the convoy will be removed from the game and will
no longer be displayed on the IMT.
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Since the convoy will return all of its assets, such as tanker trucks and utility vehicles, as soon as
it arrives back at its home station as part of its last order
4.0 Data Changes
The database parameter SLP will be removed from the database.
• SLP MANDATORY TRANSFER DISTANCE MAX and
• SLP MANDATORY TRANSFER TIME. For user ease, these two database parameters will be
renamed to be SLP REPLENISHMENT MAX DISTANCE and SLP REPLENISHMENT TIME.
The following additional database parameters are needed to support this design
FS CONVOY REMOVE DELAY
• Dimension:
Attribute of the Permanent Entity Force Side
• Mode:
Real
• Unit of Measure: Decimal Days
• Range:
0 or greater
• Default Value:
0.25 Days
• Definition:
The amount of time the convoy object remains in the simulation
after it has completed its assign tasks or has been destroyed.
This allows the user to view the Convoy in the Player Interface.
After this period of time, the Convoy will no longer be viewable in
the WHIP.
• Relationships:
None
SLP REPLENISHMENT MAX DISTANCE
• Dimension:
Attribute of the Permanent Entity Sustainment Logistics
Prototype
• Mode:
Real
• Unit of Measure: KM
• Range:
0 or greater
• Default Value:
0.1 KM
• Definition:
This database parameter defines the maximum allowable
distance between two units during a replenishment operation.
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This parameter is most useful for representing how close two
ships must come for underway replenishment to occur.
• Relationships:
When determining the maximum allowed replenishment
distance, the minimum of the two applicable unit SLP
REPLENISHMENT MAX DISTANCE database parameters is
computed and used for the legality check.
SLP REPLENISHMENT TIME
• Dimension:
Attribute of the Permanent Entity Sustainment Logistics
Prototype
• Mode:
Real
• Unit of Measure: Decimal Days
• Range:
0 or greater
• Default Value:
0.041667 (1 Hour)
• Definition:
This database parameter defines the time needed to transfer the
supplies from one unit to another unit during a replenishment
operation.
• Relationships:
It should be noted that the value held in this database parameter
is not related to the amount of supplies that are being
transferred. It is a fixed parameter but it will be modified by the
Unit Effectiveness of the two Unit’s involved in the operation.
5.0 Order Changes
Table 3 through Table 11 describe the order changes that will be made to the model to support
this ECP.
6.0 JODA Changes
No JODA Data System parameter, structure, or protocol changes are required to implement this
design. At this time the Design Team feels that the current Transportation Instruction entity used
for the Air Transport of Supplies will meet the needs of convoys.
7.0 Test Plan
Text [Describe the basic test objectives and procedures. This Test Plan section may be published
as a separate document.]
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7.1 Test 1 Title
Purpose: [Describe the specific feature, function, or behavior to be tested or measured.]
Step 1: Text
Step 2: Text
Expected Results: [Describe the specific model behavior to be observed.]
7.2 Test 2 Title
Purpose: Text
Step 1: Text
Step 2: Text
Step 3: Text
Expected Results: Text
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