Distributed Simulation and Stimulation System (DS3)
Northrop Grumman’s Distributed Simulation and Stimulation System, also known as DS3, provides high fi delity sensor simulation for a multitude of sensors, including rotating radars; phased array radars; and identifi cation, friend or foe transponders.
DS3’s tactical environment simulator stimulates combat systems with sensor, navigation and weapon system inputs. An adaptable, modular and scalable DS3 architecture accommodates emerging requirements brought about by the need to test, train and certify combat system evolutions in response to rapidly-changing threats.
How It Works
DS3 shares high-fi delity simulations of air, surface, and ballistic missile tracks over a Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS)-compliant network and communicates with tactical systems in real time. The DIS interface enables additional DS3s to accommodate other interfaces or multiple platforms under test with the same simulated environment, and interconnects with other DIS-compliant simulations.
The DS3 simulates motion and activities of thousands of air and surface tracks simultaneously and models sensors and the environmental effects on them. These effects include terrain track masking; display and sensor effects such as track suppression, multipath, ducting, and radar accuracy; clutter such as storm cloud, surface clutter and specular clutter (short-duration tracks).
Operators can develop simulations prior to an event via a scripted scenario fi le and also can control the system online. Scenarios can be created or modifi ed during runtime, then saved and reused. Multiple individual scenarios can be executed at once, or combined into larger, more complex scenarios.
DS3 in a Distributed Environment
DS3’s distributed design inherently allows for system growth and customization. Because of DS3’s modular architecture, new capabilities and interfaces can be inserted seamlessly. For example, if a new rotating radar simulation is required, the sensor unit can be designed, developed, integrated and tested with little impact to the core databases and functionality of the system.
DS3’s scalable architecture means you won’t outgrow it. Additional transportable systems can be networked together to meet more complex architecture requirements.
DS3 can participate in large-scale distributed test and training infrastructures. By using DS3 as the “ground truth,” common sensor data is presented to all platforms that are DIS/High Level Architecture capable. Additional DS3s can be added to the network architecture to act as pseudopilot control stations. Using other Northrop Grumman connectivity tools, such as the Gateway Manager and the Multi-Link System Test and Training Tool, produces a controlled closed loop test and training environment.