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Development History How we got here

The SEAS program began in the early 90's to support space force modernization. In order to establish investment priorities for future space system acquisition programs, the Air Force needed a way to evaluate the potential effectiveness of alternative space system concepts in the context of warfighting scenarios. A detailed review of existing scenario-based mission / campaign tools identified significant shortcomings for Space/C4ISR modeling. SEAS was created to address these deficiencies and enable broad exploration of space system/architecture effects on major combat operations. Initial development of SEAS focused on the ability to explicitly model the sensor-to-shooter link and capture the non-linear behavioral impact of C4ISR on spatial / temporal maneuver and attrition of terrestrial forces.

SEAS development has been study-driven for over two decades and has evolved to be one of the most powerful and versatile modeling, simulation, and analysis tools available for military operations research. The timeline below highlights some of the development and program milestones.

March 2020
Version 3.13 is released

Added dynamic agent/force capabilities allowing the creation of agents and forces at run time; improved the debugger tool with full code display, live breakpoints, and watch window; added 2D top-down projection view; improved terrain capabilities including agent terrain following and surface orientation modes; added device offset capability relative to parent location; expanded kill types, including sub-kill types of mobility, weapons, communications, sensors, and an options new casualty model; added two new Pk Table entry types, one for specifying sub-kill probabilities and one for using a lookup table to provide more fine-grained, situation-dependent probabilities; expanded run-time overlay capabilities; added an interactive line-of-sight measurement tool.

February 2019
Version 3.12.2.1 is released

Changed the format of the installer files to address potential installation issues on some systems.

September 2018
Version 3.12.2 is released

Expanded satellite maneuvering with a new finite-duration burn capability, including new planning functions to assist in defining burns that achieve the desired orbital parameters; fixed a rare memory leak when a message needs to be resent; added commandline option to display seed value in use; added ability to set/get refresh rate and error level using TPL.

June 2018
Version 3.12.1 is released

Added new device attributes/properties to provide more granular control over the orientation of device Fields of View (FOV); added new function for the map data structure to lookup the existence of a key without modifying the map; fixed a regression bug introduced in version 3.12 related to satellite orbit states; improved error handling in several of the string helper functions; fixed a memory leak that persisted across runs when using the map data structure.

May 2018
Version 3.12 is released

Added a new map data structure for associating a variable with an arbitrary key value; added support for loading Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) Level 2, along with new functions for querying elevation data; improved the fidelity of the inertial reference frame; added ability for sensors to detect jammers; updated Python to version 3.6.4 and all third-party modules to their latest versions; added two new functions to load new TLE orbits at runtime; improved control of auto-broadcast of local target lists; added RSW display frame of reference for satellites.

November 2017
Version 3.11.3 is released

Corrected a bug related to passing arrays with lists and nodes into functions; corrected a bug with SetSate not working for TLE satellites; fixed a character limit issue with the Read command; improved working with Trace files; changed sound playback to be asynchronous.

August 2017
Version 3.11.2 is released

Added an embedded Python interpreter to allow native Python code to be called from TPL code; updated visual style of the user interface; added more display controls for Regions; significantly improved the resolution of the time-based random number seed generator.

January 2017
Version 3.11.1 is released

Corrected a bug in the satellite numerical propagaor; fixed the View Menu weapons FOV settings.

December 2016
Version 3.11 is released

Implemented directional weapons and comms; enhanced the comms model - added more robust routing; enhanced satellite maneuving - added more Lambert maneuver functions with additional contraints; added ability to dynamically define satellite orbits; added post-launch dynamic weapon CEPs; added resizable watch variable display and other display enhancements.

September 2014
Version 3.10 is released

Updated User Interface; updated and improved help system, enhanced IDE - added content assist features, improved template definitions, improved error reporting; added run-time "watch variable" displays; added new camera controls; added object perception displays; added new tools debugging; added significant new satellite features - satellite body modeling, visible signature modeling, and orientation/attitude modeling.

March 2011
Version 3.9 is released

Updated User Interface; introduced Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for improved model development; signifcantly enhanced satellite modeling - added commands for maneuvering and proximity ops; improved environment models - added new Region structure; added entity grouping; miscellaneus performance improvements and bug fixes.

July 2009
Version 3.8 is released

Improved satellite modeling; enhanced map imagery; added new display features; added new Road Network functions; expanded custom properties; improved warning and error reporting; miscellaneous performance improvements and bug fixes.

January 2008
Update Version 3.7.1 is released

Added confusion matrix for target identification; added Road Network data structure; improved satellite modeling - added new functions for orbit propagation, Earth-centered Inertia/Earth-centered rotating coordinate conversions, and sun position.

January 2007
Version 3.7 is released

Implemented new help system; added Linked List data structures, user-defined properties, image overlays and new math functions; updated random number generator; added initialization and termination blocks; added new Move type for satellites and ballistic platforms; improved sensor modeling; added Ridgelines for improved terrain modeling.

January 2006
Version 3.6 is released

Added new TPL commands; introduced UI toolbar; improved weapons modeling - added functions to compute ballistic trajectories and allow weapon speeds to be changed dynamically; improved run-time speed performance.

April 2005
Version 3.5 is released

Improved communications model - expanded from broadcast model to routed communications model; added new TPL functions and property controls; improved graphics performance.

June 2004
Update Version 3.3.1 is released

Improved sensor model and weapon model; implemented various user-community suggested enhancements; miscellaneous bug fixes.

May 2004
AFSPC M&S Toolkit acceptance

SEAS is accepted into the HQ Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Modeling and Simulation Toolkit, established by AFSPC Instruction 16-101.

April 2004
Version 3.3 is released

Added new map imagery based on GEOTOPO 30 elevation database; vehicle agent modifications; sensor model improvements; weapon model improvements.

July 2003
Version 3.2 is released

Added new TPL commands and properties, multidimensional arrays, new map tilt/pan controls; debug window improvements.

September 2002
Version 3.1 is released

Improved local target list processing; debug window improvements; miscellaneous engine and UI improvements and bug fixes.

August 2001
Version 3.0 is released

Improved TPL significantly and modified agent definitions for more robust TPL control; incorporated new image map data.

January 2001
Version 2.2 is released

Expanded model inputs to include a Tactical Programming Language (TPL) for analyst coding of adaptive agent behaviors; abandoned prototype Framework Scenario Editor.

July 2000
Version 2.1 is released

Improved display options in the User Interface (UI); parallel development path with Naval Simulation System (NSS) engine frozen; miscellaneous bug fixes.

October 1999
AFSAT Acceptance

SEAS is accepted into the Air Force Standard Analysis Toolkit (AFSAT) as a Mission-Level model.

June 1999
Version 2.0 is released

Introduced new prototype user interface (Framework Scenario Editor) compatible with the SEAS engine and a Windows version of the Naval System Simulation (NSS) engine; improvements to support dual engines for parallel development path.

November 1997
Version 1.9 is released

Expanded object definitions and agent commands, improved agent movements, modified commmunications model to allow orders to travel over commms; miscellaneous bug fixes.

March 1996
Version 1.1 is released

Corrected significant shortcomings and bugs found in SEAS v1.0 by new development team.

April 1994
Version 1.0 is released

Initial delivery of SEAS from a Small Business Innovative Research effort; code transferred to Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance support contractor team for further development.

1992
SEAS vision is born

Bob Weber (Aerospace Corporation) creates the vision to apply cutting-edge modeling and simulation frameworks to the development of tool for SMC/XR to quantify the military utility of future space system concepts.