An introduction to developing federations with the high level architecture (HLA)

The IEEE 1516-2010 - High Level Architecture (HLA) for distributed simulation is growing in a variety of application domains due to its capabilities to enable the interoperability and reusability of distributed simulation components. However, the development of simulation models based on the HLA standard remains a challenging task that requires a considerable effort in terms of both time and cost. This paper provides an introduction tutorial on developing HLA-based simulations using the HLA Development Kit (DKF) framework. The tutorial guides developers through the necessary steps for defining and creating an HLA-based simulation, and explains how the HLA elements can be easily managed by using the DKF's services. The effectiveness of the DKF is proven by its concrete exploitation in the context of the Simulation Exploration Experience (SEE), a project led by NASA and which involves as partners several U.S. and European Institutions.