CYBERCAST: Cyber Battlefield Effects Correlation and Simulation Tool

Modern military operations demand coordinated activity across multiple domains, including land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace. While existing tools well support simulations and visualizations of physical-domain effects, cyber effects are less well instantiated in current training and decision-support environments. Although cybersecurity visualizations do not necessarily require geospatial representation of device locations, in this tactical context, threats and assets across all domains, including cyber, can be depicted together on a traditional two-dimensional (2D) common operating picture map. However, three-dimensional (3D) views better support tactical navigation and targeting by enhancing the apprehension of depth, elevation, aerial assets, and 3D urban and terrain features. In operational contexts, users can view the physical environment and additional information (e.g., device status) via augmented reality. Our XR Cyber Battlefield Effects Correlation and Simulation tool (CYBERCAST) enables interactive 3D visualization of a multi-domain battlespace with a dynamic simulated scenario involving cyber effects. The system visually alerts users to locations of affected devices and enables them to obtain more information via hover. To provide this XR experience, it was necessary to integrate outputs from three different simulation tools (OneSAF, CyberVAN, and CyberBOSS) in a first-of-its-kind visualization and simulation system.