Modelling and simulation-based support for interoperability exercises in preparation of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

Abstract

With less than 650 days to go until the first kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the safety and security of everyone is paramount. All South African departments, agencies and institutes that are part of the team to ensure a safe and successful event, are busy with preparations. Some of these include exercises at the provincial disaster management centres and involve multiple role players. Important aspects of such exercises are the training of personnel, fine-tuning of drills and procedures and the element of surprise. The latter is necessary to ensure effective training. The CSIR was involved in such an exercise - Operation Greenpoint 208. It stretched over 10 days with the actual exercise during the last three days. The CSIR has been supporting the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) with joint command and control development over a number of years with its modelling and simulation capabilities. 'Blue' and 'Red' teams were used at Operation Greenpoint, and this is where the simulation capabilities of the CSIR came in very handy. Simulated aircraft attacks were 'injected' into the system by the Red team. All of this was done to ensure that the Blue team was up to scratch. This simulation capability was also used to support the SANDF, SAPS and other agencies to ensure that the different systems used at the exercise are interoperable at a technical level.