Dynamic Airborne Mission Communication System (DYNAMICS)

ABSTRACT: Current Air Force mission planning systems require that users manually enter flight paths. For the emerging class of airborne communications platforms this is sub-optimal. The mission of these platforms is to extend communications ranges and enable enhanced (particularly IP-based) connectivity for other mission elements. This calls for a new type of planning system. Rather than having end-users enter courses, courses can be planned automatically based on where ground- and air-based mission elements are positioned. This information, along with relative priorities and specifics about radios allows for more effective planning of courses and placement in airspace of airborne relays. Such a system can even go beyond mission pre-planning and react to changing conditions in the battlespace (movement, intervening terrain, etc.) to dynamically reposition airborne relays over time for optimal operation. Architecture Technology Corporation (ATCorp) proposes DYNAMICS, an innovative framework providing mission-aware pre-planning and in-mission control of airborne relays. DYNAMICS is a software system operating stand-alone or integrated with existing mission planning systems. DYNAMICS provides: 1)"Inverse"course pre-planning based on positions and communication capabilities of mission elements; 2) Continuous re-planning during the mission; 3) Prioritization of mission communication/connectivity requirements; and 4) Fully automatic or human-assisted operating modes. BENEFIT: The system will provide enhanced mission-aware operation of IP and legacy communication systems. Optimization of in-mission communications based on position of airborne communication relays. Commercial application is as a module for integration into existing DoD mission planning systems, such as JMPS, or as a system for stand-alone use. Non-DoD applications include planning and managing first-responder networks, cellular and municipal wireless networks, and special-purpose networks for large-scale events such as the Olympics or the Super Bowl.