7. Merging information

We are at a more abstract level than for the previous functions, that of establishing and analyzing the situation (levels 2 and 3). Situation analysis involves identifying the probable situations which are the causes of the events and activities observed. This task is made difficult by the fact that not all elements of the situation are observable, and that some elements are deliberately misleading (introduction of false information). What's more, the assessment of a situation, particularly a military one, relies on a wealth of knowledge, or "expert" rules, which must be catalogued before any quantitative inference can be drawn: force composition, associated logistics, range of action, but also elements of doctrine and geopolitical factors. Because of the almost systematic incompleteness of the information in these systems, they are seen only as an aid to decision-making, focusing the decision-maker...