Service-based Command and Control (C2) for the Forward Deployed Energy and Communications Outpost (C2-FDECO)

Advances in the capabilities of the US Navy’s fleet of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have led to an array of assets capable of executing a number of operational missions. The Navy is investing in extending the reach of these assets to provide mission capabilities from longer range and over longer duration. The FDECO Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) program addresses one challenge of current UUVs, namely endurance. A fleet of “gas stations” will be deployed throughout the theater, providing energy replenishment, data access, and communications capabilities to UUVs. Command and control (C2) of the envisioned FDECO outposts poses unique challenges: (1) FDECO must enable highly autonomous and dynamic C2 of outpost resources to serve multiple UUV platforms; and (2) FDECO must enable remote supervisory C2 of its services by a standoff operator, responsible for collecting UUV service requests, allocating FDECO resources, and managing operations of FDECO stations. Charles River Analytics proposes to address these challenges by designing, developing, and evaluating C2 applications that enable the management of FDECO resources in a manner that enables situation awareness of outpost health and status, and the development of resource allocation plans and schedules to best apply FDECO resources in support of Fleet UUV operations.