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This article focuses on the first airborne counter-terrorism drill in the U.S. since September 11, 2001. Operation Atlas--essentially a war game--was designed to help more than 50 emergency response, law enforcement and aviation organizations develop improved coordination and communications in case they ever face the real thing again. If one observed the drill from the emergency operations center, it would have been clear that the atmosphere was nothing short of organized chaos. Various law enforcement organizations and others monitored the events.

Reports on the inaugural 'Schriever 2001' wargame, the first United States national wargame dedicated to military space, held at Schriever AFB in Colorado. Incorporation of outcomes from the Air Force's 'Global Engagement V' and the Navy's Global 2000' wargames; Exploration of the pros and cons of using military space power in terrestrial battles.

Reports on the development of simulation programs for a broad range of military applications by Raytheon Systems Co.'s Flight Simulation business. Focus on achieving functional fidelity and visual immersion of pilots within each virtual war game; Egress procedure device for pilot training; F-22 Weapons Tactics Trainer; Super Hornet simulators; C-130H3 weapons systems trainer.

Focuses on the Joint Land, Aerospace and Sea Simulation (JLASS 98) wargame held in Alabama at the United States Air Force's Wargaming Institute in 1998. Sponsorship by US senior-level service schools aimed at developing tomorrow's top military leaders; The annual venue being built around joint and combined operational warfare; Number of student players; Objectives which are established by the service school faculty.

Looks at government agencies and private companies' use of the art of wargaming. Wargaming as a cost-effective vehicle for exploring complex policy, doctrine and strategic issues; History of wargaming; Importance of wargaming in addressing real policy issues; Comments of Gen. Howell M. Estes, 3rd, former chief of United States Space Command; The rise of systems analysis as the preferred decision-making tool during the Vietnam era; How wargames force leaders to think about decisions they would make in a national emergency.

The article reports on a series of war games called Pacific Vision being conducted by Pacific Air Forces (Pacaf). General Howie Chandler, Pacaf commander who was named the next Air Force vice chief of staff, says one of the reasons they are out there building partnerships throughout the region is access. According to the article, one of the new imperatives resulting from the first Pacific Vision exercises is the study of alternative intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

The article reports that Iranian war games and the firing of nine ballistic missiles to remind the world that Iran could control the Strait of Hormuz proved instead to be an intelligence windfall for the U.S. and Israel. Data on new Iranian warhead configurations was obtained as was ground truth launch data to match with U.S. missile-warning satellite sensor data. It also did the U.S. a favor by bolstering U.S. arguments for basing an anti-ballistic missile defense system in Eastern Europe, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

This article reports that aerial firefighting tanker pilots, "air attack" command-and-control specialists, and leadplane crews will soon be trained and certified through low-cost flight simulators that capitalize on computer-game technology. Two U.S. Forest Service aviation managers are working with Silicon Studios to incorporate graphics and a terrain database originally developed for a Reno Air Races computer game. By modifying the game's graphics and combining visual displays with an ATC Flight Simulator Co. instrument-trainer, the novel system provides a cost-effective way to train firefighting crews.

This article reports that insights gained from the Schriever III Wargame may lead to significant revisions of U.S. national security space policies and rules-of-engagement in the war on terrorism. How far-reaching such changes might be were hard to predict at the outset, but senior S-III leaders point to the last Title-10 space wargame in this series— Schriever II (S-II)— for evidence of the biennial event's impact. Brigadier General Irving L. Halter Jr. stated that all space wargames are conducted within the confines of existing policies.

The March 16, 2004 wargame was intended to illustrate the complexity, short timelines and generic tactics involved in countering a ballistic missile attack against the North American continent. The event was run as an operator-in-the-loop wargame. The wargame scenario featured an aggressor called Midland, an imaginary island in the Sea of Japan. Its possession of several short- and medium-range ballistic missiles constituted a threat to Japan and other neighbors. Although the demonstration was based on a simplistic, unclassified scenario, it graphically illustrated the rapid decision-making process involved in missile defense.

Expresses views on the incorporation of robust special-operations forces (SOF) contingent into major wargames in the United States. Importance of SOF in the war on terrorism; Potential of wargames to provide peacetime training and relationship building; Preparation for the battlefield.

Focuses on the United States military officials' exploration of National Missile Defense (NMD) concepts of operation. Four-day (NMD) wargame called the Command and Control Simulation 99; Joint National Test Facility's ability to simulate the pace and realism of defending against a rogue nation's ballistic missile attack; Features of Wargame 2000.

States that the United States Congress and the Pentagon have established vehicles for conducting wargaming simulations and experiments that subject game-produced ideas, simulations and issues to real-world assessment. How service battle laboratories are typically charged with setting up experiments; Value of evaluations in giving warfighters an early look at concepts and hardware; The Air Force's concept, Global Reach, Global Power; Cost savings; Benefits to linking ideas, wargaming, experiments and acquisition.

Focuses on three, national-level wargames hosted by the United States Navy, Army and Air Force. The crucial issues that must be resolved if the US and its allies are to survive and win major future conflicts; The Big Three Title 10 games of the services; Efforts to explore and increase understanding of complex matters; Lower-level games which have proven to be valuable tools for gaining experiential insight into complex issues; Senior government officials who have participated in wargames or simulations. INSET: Wargaming vs. Exercise.

Focuses on the possible impact of space warfare. Space wargames of the US Army; Questions raised on issues associated with an enemies' use of international communications satellites; Use of commercial services for the military; Vulnerability of such systems; Impact of the Space Game 2 event of the army.

Reports on the results of the 1997 Global Engagement wargames conducted by the United States Air Force. The underscoring of how dependent on space assets today's shrinking combat forces have become; The nation's potential vulnerability to information warfare threats; Other findings and conclusions.

Reports on the development of software that will enable the addition of realistic cruise missile attacks to theater air and missile defense war game scenarios. The software as being validated by a US Joint National Test Facility; The software as an upgrade of the Advanced Real-time Gaming Universal Simulation; Plans for use in August of 1997; Evaluation of the exercise; The software's key features; The planned replacement software package Wargame 2000.

Informs that wargames conducted by the United States in 1997 showed United States forces as highly dependent on space-based assets. The vulnerability of US forces following an early attack on satellites as stunning participating senior officials; Key points underscored by the `Army-After-Next' wargame; Air Force General Howell Estes' opinion on the three key areas of investment as vital to developing space control/force application capabilities.

The article discusses war game simulations by Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) which suggest that in a combat between the U.S. and China over the Taiwan Strait the U.S. might lose due to the large number of Chinese forces. The placement of U.S. Navy aircraft near the Taiwan Strait, a Chinese anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM), and the expansion of the Chinese military are examined. Davies suggests that high-altitude stealth aircraft such as drones could be used.

The article reports on the improved prospects for continued domestic funding support and a breakthrough export sale for France's Rafale F2 multirole fighter after a successful showing in an allied exercise and the contracting of a new upgrade package to enhance the aircraft's competitiveness. It is perceived that it was a calculated risk to include the aircraft in such a demanding exercise barely three months after its entry into operational service.

This article reports on a theater missile defense command post exercise between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that will take place at the Russian Simulation Facility. It is the third drill in the series and sets the stage for a field training exercise in about a year. This trial will focus on command and control issues related to deployed theater missile defense units.

Features United States military aircraft that participated in the 1999 Bright Star exercise in Egypt. Cover provided by F/A-18 aircraft from the United States Marine Corps Air Wing 4; Aircraft belonging to reserve units VMFA-321, VMFA-112 and VMGR-234; Exercise as the largest in which United States forces will fly in 1999; US Defense Secretary William S. Cohen's visit to the exercise theater.

Highlights the lessons the 1999 Army-After-Next Space and Missile Defense wargame held at the Joint National Test Facility in Colorado. Exploration of the effects of an extended conflict on space and missile defense operations; Lessons learned by participants.

Reports on the use of distributed simulation (DIS) in allowing pilots, tank crews and missile defense operators located in widely separated parts of the globe to participate in joint combat exercises on a simulation battle field. Virtual environment creation; Funding of DIS; Impetus to DIS expansion.