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There was a NATO standardisation agreement ( STANAG 4482, ''Standardised Information Technology Protocols for Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS)'', adopted in 1995 ) on DIS for modelling and simulation interoperability, but this was also abandoned in favour of HLA as early as 1998 . The first draft HLA STANAG ran afoul of administrative procedures when it changed sponsors within NATO, which forced the process to start all over again at square one —which is why the HLA STANAG (4603) is still at the draft stage.

DIS is defined under IEEE Standard 1278:

  • IEEE 1278-1993 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application protocols

  • IEEE 1278.1-1995 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application protocols

  • IEEE 1278.1-1995 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application protocols - Errata (May 1998)

  • IEEE 1278.1A-1998 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application protocols

  • IEEE-1278.2-1995 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Communication Services and Profiles

  • IEEE 1278.3-1996 - Recommended Practice for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Exercise Management and Feedback

  • IEEE 1278.4-1997 - Recommended Practice for Distributed Interactive - Verification Validation & Accreditation

  • IEEE 1278.5-XXXX - Fidelity Description Requirements (never published)


In addition to the IEEE standards, the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) maintains and publishes an enumerations and bit encoded fields document yearly. This document is referenced by the IEEE standards.

The DoD, and in particular the USAF's Distributed Mission Operations Center (''DMOC''), continues to advance the DIS protocol and SISO, a sponsor committee of the IEEE, promulgates improvements in DIS. Contrary to some people's opinions (and desires), DIS is not dead, but is alive and well and working just fine.


APPLICATION PROTOCOL

Simulation state information is encoded in formatted messages, known as ''Protocol Data Units'' (''PDUs'') and exchanged between hosts using existing Transport Layer protocols, though normally broadcast User Datagram Protocol is used. There are several versions of the DIS application protocol, not only including the formal standards, but also drafts submitted during the standards balloting process.

  • Version 1 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application Protocols, Version 1.0 Draft (1992)

  • Version 2 - IEEE 1278-1993

  • Version 3 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application Protocols, Version 2.0 Third Draft (May 1993)

  • Version 4 - Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation - Application Protocols, Version 2.0 Fourth Draft (March 1994)

  • Version 5 - IEEE 1278.1-1995

  • Version 6 - IEEE 1278.1-1995 and IEEE 1278.1A-1998



PROTOCOL DATA UNITS

The current version of the DIS application protocol defines 67 different PDU types, arranged into 12 families. Frequently used PDU types are listed below for each family.

  • Entity information/interaction family - Entity State, Collision, Collision-Elastic, Entity State Update

  • Warfare family - Fire, Detonation

  • Logistics family - Service Request, Resupply Offer, Resupply Received, Resupply Cancel, Repair Complete, Repair Response

  • Simulation management family - Start/Resume, Stop/Freeze, Acknowledge

  • Distributed emission regeneration family - Designator, Electromagnetic Emission, IFF/ATC/NAVAIDS , Underwater Acoustic , Supplemental Emission/Entity State (SEES)

  • Radio communications family - Transmitter, Signal, Receiver, Intercom Signal, Intercom Control

  • Entity management family

  • Minefield family

  • Synthetic environment family

  • Simulation management with reliability family

  • Live entity family

  • Non-real time family



SEE ALSO