Building Test-Sites with Simware

Transcription

1 Building Test-Sites with Simware TEL

2 1 INTRODUCTION Construction of critical operational systems, like a Naval Combat Management (CMS) system are changing their paradigm. Years ago, proprietary solutions developed completely in-house were common. Nowadays, the trend is to develop a CMS by the integration of many components and subsystems from other partners or even from COTS. Test-sites have been always important to perform the integration and Verification&Validation (V&V) stages of the development cycle of a CMS. With the latest trend of integrating more than building the system, its importance has become capital for the success of the project. This whitepaper explains how Simware can be used to meet the most demanding requirement of a test-site, using as an example a use case in which Simware is used as the simulation platform for a Land-Based-Test- Site (LBTS) of CATIZ CMS. CATIZ CMS is a product from the Spanish company Navantia, one of the main European shipyards and naval systems integrators, with references in many navies worldwide, like Spain, Norway, Thailand, Malaysia or Australia. 2 CATIZ COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM CATIZ overall objective is the creation of a Command and Control System of new generation for the use in the vessels exported by Navantia. This system is based on the experience gained by Navantia working in previous projects and uses Commercial off the shelf (COTS) and open standards, having a modular, flexible and scalable architecture, open to customer requirements.

3 3 SIMWARE PLATFORM AND CATIZ Simware collaboration with CATIZ was centered in the construction of the simulation test site (LBTS). Requisites for this test site were: The creation of a very modular and flexible simulation test bench based on OMG DDS standard. The compliance with legacy DIS simulations, already used by Navantia as engineering simulators. The implementation of a naval scenario based on own ship and up to 150 radar contacts. The Simulation of 2D and 3D radar tracks. The generation of contacts through a contact generator. The capability to be used as a training device for the operators of the CMS, with HLA compliance. Based on these requirements, Navantia System Division, known as FABA, decided to use Simware Platform as the platform on top of which to develop the distributed LBTS of CATIZ. This simulation environment combines legacy engineering simulators, based on DIS, new simulators and simulator models created using Simware and HLA based simulators based on COTS. Simware framework and architecture is the central element for integrating and running the whole simulation.

4 The architecture of the solution is built around Simware. Simware acts as the central hub and manager of the simulation, providing and controlling the gateways, adding new elements like 2D and 3D radar- built directly over DDS and commanding the entire test-site. At the same time, this architecture totally flexible; it can be reconfigured for new scenarios adding or removing simulators at will provided that they share any part of the same datamodel-. Finally, this architecture is also scalable to new DDS, HLA or DIS based simulators that can enter or leave even during runtime LBTS deployment is based on a data-centric middleware, using DDS as the default mechanism for exchanging simulation data between the different nodes. Publish-subscribe paradigm is used to communicate the different nodes with the simulation network. Using the API in the middleware, nodes can manage the data and can share simulation services with others components in the network, like a common clock or a common statemachine. The use of DDS standard allows to optimize the performance in the distribution of data, assuring compliance with the most demanded real time requirements. Using DDS as the layer to exchange simulation data

5 allows to work with update frequencies higher than 1000Hz if this is requested. Because of this capability, Simware is very well fitted to the development and deployment of test-sites for critical systems, like a CMS. The simulation network also allows the integration of legacy HLA and DIS simulations, using interoperability capabilities included in Simware just outof-the-box. CATIZ LBTS is designed to provide simulated substitutes of real sensors and weapon to the CMS during the integration or V&V stages. In this way, integration testing of real equipment can be done in the LBTS without having the entire real systems (for example providing simulated sonar to the CMS when the torpedoes console is being integrated). To avoid any issue related to safety or security, CMS network is not connected directly to the simulation network and, is instead using an especial adaptor named SimgenIF. This adaptor uses the API of Simware to build an interface between both logical and physical networks (CMS and Simulation).

6 CATIZ LBTS is using the complete portfolio of products included in Simware (see commercial packages of Simware). This project has made extensive use of Simware Platform and Simware RTI products showing all the possibilities of the use of our unique architecture. In CATIZ, Simware Platform has been used in its full potential. Every component in Simware platform is used in the LBTS: - System engineers use Modeler tool to design the simulation data model of the LBTS and the publish-subscribe interfaces of each node. Simware data models are based on HLA metadata models (hence, Simulation objetcts and Interactions). - LBTS uses the Real Time Simulation Middleware included in Simware (NCWare Sim) to encapsulate the communication between the different nodes. This middleware provides a very simple API to manage publishing and subscribing of the objects and interactions included in the datamodel. Using this middleware, user can also manage the QoS (Quality of services) of every publisher and subscribers. - Simulation engines and scheduler included in Simware ehost are used to manage the state machine and the real time computation of the different simulation models included in the LBTS.

7 - Asset manager tools are used to manage the simulation models like simulation services. Simware capability to develop reusable simulation models since an engineering model through the use of Simware Simdeveloper- is applied for the development of the simulation models. These models are built in a way that allows them to be easily edited and modified in the future. Easy updating is a key requirement in a test-site, because of its main purpose it is the integration and testing of an operational system that it is just in development. Because of that, changes in the design are common and, therefore, changes to the simulation models must be done in an agile way. The LBTS is also using Simware Powerlink as the tool to create and keep the data bridges to HLA and DIS. These bridges are easy to modify and add no appreciable latency. On the other hand, Simware RTI has been used in CATIZ LBTS as the HLA server providing HLA functionalities and services. All the tools and COTS based on HLA use Simware RTI as the HLA server taking advantage of our unique use of DDS for the communication layer. This table summarizes all the information: Component Made with / Using Base standard Simulation data Simware Modeler model SimCont NcWare Sim / ehost SimIfRadar2D NcWare Sim / ehost SimIfRadar3D NcWare Sim / ehost Radar 2D simulation model Radar 3D simulation model Control Station Simware SimDeveloper / NCWare Sim / ehost / Asset Manager Simware SimDeveloper / NCWare Sim / ehost / Asset Manager NcWare Sim / Asset Manager 2D Visor NcWare Sim DIS Gateway Simware Powerlink / DDS/DIS NCWare Sim HLA Gateway Simware Powerlink / NCWare Sim HLA1516 server Simware RTI HLA

8 Main capabilities of the final test site include: Common simulation platform for Hardware In the Loop, virtual and constructive simulations Full set of Quality of Service (QoS) to manage real time exchange of data in the simulation network The use of Generic Simulator Interface (SimGenIF) to connect critical network of the Command Management System with the simulation network of the Test-Site Easy integration of simulations supplied by contractors, using standards (HLA, DIS or DDS) Quick development of new simulators using SimDeveloper

9 4 ADVANTAGES OF SIMWARE FOR NAVAL SYSTEMS CATIZ project success illustrates the advantages of using a real time simulation framework like Simware for CD&E (Concept Development and Experimentation) in a naval systems environment. Interoperability between simulated and operational systems using DDS open wire protocol Development and maintenance of Simulation assets using MDA (Model Driven Architecture) paradigm. Integration of new and legacy simulators in an integrated environment in a seamless way. HLA and DIS interoperability to a wire protocol level. CATIZ project demonstrates that using an open platform for interoperability allows also an easy integration of legacy simulators. In this case DIS simulators, developed by NAVANTIA were integrated into the same joint simulation. Final test site has full potential of grown based on Simware three pillars: Reusability: Legacy simulators based on HLA and DIS (or simulators that can be opened to this standards) can be added to the same test bench. Composability: Test site can be used combining all of the simulators or just some of them. For example, is possible to use the test bench without the use of DIS elements. The same way, new elements can be added, e.g. a COTS like VrForces or Stage can be added without any modifications. Interoperability: HLA and DIS systems interoperate in a seamless way, using the legacy systems as it, without any change.