Cybernetics and battle management system (BMS) in network soldier system application

ABSTRACT

Countries use battle management systems (BMS) that enable commands to share digital situational awareness information. In the network of electronic warfighting platforms where military assets are classified as agents and where multiple subsystems interact, potential permutations and combinations of interactions can cause unpredictable negative or positive feedback loops, resulting in unpredictable or unwanted outcomes, which is referred to as emergence behaviour.

KEYWORDS:

• Defence
• cybernetics
• systems
• communication
• emergence
• behaviour

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Constituent systems can be part of one or more SoS. Note: Each constituent is a useful system by itself, having its own development, management goals, and resources, but interacts within the SoS to provide the unique capability of the SoS.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a postgraduate research scholarship from the University of Southern Queensland.

Notes on contributors

Aleksandar Seizovic

Aleksandar Seizovic is an Engineers Australia Fellow and an engineering executive who received the Engineers Australia Individual Excellence Award, Queensland, in 2016. He is dedicated to education and is currently engaged in research at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. His research interests include emergent behavioural phenomena occurring in a system of systems. He is knowledgeable and experienced in business, engineering, and law and is certified to make compliant and governing decisions in business and engineering projects. He has served in the Royal Australian Navy Submarine service and worked in defence, marine, mining, oil and gas, and power generation industries. ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0445-8716.

David Thorpe

David Thorpe is an associate professor (engineering/technology management) at the University of Southern Queensland. Prior to joining the university in 2002, he had an extensive civil engineering career in local and state governments, focusing on engineering design, construction, maintenance, and research management in water supply, sewerage, and roadworks. His PhD research from Queensland University of Technology developed a process for managing the physical infrastructure. David teaches life cycle asset management, advanced engineering project management, risk management, related topics, and related engineering management topics to postgraduate engineering students. Additionally, he supervises research projects undertaken by Engineering Honours and Master of Engineering Science students. https://staffprofile.usq.edu.au/profile/david-thorpe; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5494-7668; OFR: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001795

Steven Goh

Steven Goh is a seasoned executive, highly credentialed engineer, and highly awarded academic. He has a BEng (Honours) in Manufacturing & Materials from the University of Queensland, MBA (Tech Mgt) from Deakin University, Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Engineering Doctorate from USQ, and Diploma in Company Directorship from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is an Engineers Australia Fellow, a Chartered Professional Engineer, and an Engineering Executive, recognised in mechanical engineering and leadership and management. He was awarded the USQ Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (Early Career) 2008, USQ Associate Fellow 2009, USQ Senior Fellow 2010, USQ Citation 2010, and the Australian Government’s Office of Learning and Teaching (2015) Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. He served on the USQ Academic Board, as the 2012 QLD President, a non-executive director of the National Board in 2015, Mechanical College Board member, and Congress Member of Engineers Australia. He currently serves as the editor (strategic) for the Australian Journal of Mechanical Engineering and as vice-president of the Australasian Association of Engineering Education. He is the associate head (outreach and engagement) for the School of Engineering at the University of Southern Queensland. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8583-4586; Scopus Author ID: 27171938400;

Lucas Skoufer

Dr. Lucas Skoufa is an Engineers Australia Fellow and Chartered Engineer, who has a varied background, including the military (naval), power generation, and higher education. Lucas’s current role is as a specialist turbine engineer at Rio Tinto; he is also an Active Reservist Naval Officer. Prior to this, he was a lecturer and researcher on power generation and carbon management at the University of Queensland’s Business School. Lucas has also worked at several power stations as a turbine engineer and has served full-time as a Marine Engineering Officer (at sea and in various shore postings) in the Royal Australian Navy. He completed his PhD on the strategic behaviours of electricity generation firms and holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Business (Economics), and a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical).