Laboratory awarded national modeling and simulation honor Published May 22, 2007 By J. Rich Garcia Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs HAMTON, Va. -- The U.S. Air Force Modeling and Simulation Experimentation Award for 2006 was presented here May 8 to a team from the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland AFB. Rudy M. Martinez, who led the team, 1st Lts. Joseph J. Friel and Brian W. Spanbauer, Beth R. Nayder and Linda J. Lamberson received the award at a Department of Defense conference that recognizes modeling and simulation contributions to the warfighter. The team was cited for advancing experimentation war gaming within the Air Force and DOD, specifically using high-energy lasers, high-powered microwaves and other models of directed energy weapons in warfighting simulations and exercises. By uniting modeling and simulation developers with warfighters, the Air Force gained insight into the potential utility of directed energy weapon systems being considered for the future. Among the computer-based exercises the team participated in were the Joint Forces Command Urban Resolve 2015 experimentation war game and the Advanced Concepts Event. For the latter exercise, the team provided the warfighter with opportunities to do "out-of-the-box" thinking, to refine operational concepts, and to change or modify tactics, techniques and procedures that are normally impractical to do during other war games, which are designed under carefully developed scenarios. For the Urban Resolve 2015 war game, Joint Forces Command gave special recognition to the research laboratory team for the five directed energy simulations the team provided.