This paper describes the software architecture of Dragon, a real-time situational awareness virtual environment for battlefield visualization. Dragon receives data from a number of different sources and creates a single, coherent, and consistent three-dimensional display. We describe the problem of Battlefield Visualization and the challenges it imposes. We discuss the Dragon architecture, the rational for its design, and its performance in an actual application. The battlefield VR system is also suitable for similar civilian domains such as large-scale disaster relief and hostage rescue.

In this paper we describe a battlefield visualization system, called Dragon, which we have implemented on a virtual reality responsive workbench. The Dragon system has been successfully deployed as part of two large military exercises: the Hunter Warrior advanced warfighting experiment, in March 1997, and the Joint Counter Mine advanced concept tactical demonstration, in August and September 1997. We describe battlefield visualization, the Dragon system, and the workbench, and we describe our experiences as part of these two real-world deployments, with an emphasis on lessons learned and needed future work.