Nationlab

The Center for Hemispheric Defense studies (CHDS) conducts NationLab, a computer-assisted simulation exercise that engages senior policy makers and senior students at superior studies institutes throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It consists of a series of complex exercises designed to develop organizational capabilities in defense and security. CHDS NationLab challenges players to re-examine existing processes, procedures and doctrine to identify possible improvements in defense and security capabilities. Exercise play is complemented by “reference lectures” by CHDS professors and host institution experts. CHDS NationLab places a heavy emphasis on collaborative analysis of intermediate products, utilizing standard methods for employing modeling and simulation as analytical tools. In implementing CHDS NationLab, CHDS has begun to move toward its goal of becoming a center for excellence in employing modeling and simulation tools to analyze and enhance defense and security policy in the Americas.