Rapid Reprogramming Technologies for Electronic Warfare Training

ABSTRACT: SBIR Topic # AF103-023 research will define an Agile, Reactive, Adaptive, Threat Simulation (ARATS) environment to dynamically determine the interaction of collaborative / integrated EW systems and accommodate degraded / disrupted network communication in the support of robust tactical operations. The ARATS research and development effort will focus on the technologies required to support accurate (reactive) threat depiction at the EW asset training sites. The ARATS modeling simulation and analysis framework will utilize a common EW ontology that supports system effectiveness assessment based on dynamic threat operational capabilities that support response to weapons deployment (i.e. non-kinetic as well as kinetic weapons). The common EW ontology used in the ARATS will support agile mission modeling based on tailored ontology refinement that includes weapon capabilities and limitations as well as alternative reactive threat functionality (i.e. as intelligence information evolves, the EW ontology will be iteratively revised to support ARATS reactions without requiring changes to the core software). The common EW ontology used in the ARATS will enable enable Electronic Warfare (EW) asset training that reflects the evolving responsive, interactive, dynamic threat characteristics and capabilities. BENEFIT: The Agile, Reactive, Adaptive, Threat Simulation (ARATS) research and development effort will focus on networking methodologies and data utilization algorithms in support of near real-time automated decision support logic for platform and data routing/re-routing related to distributed sensor and electronic attack resource management. The ARATS modeling simulation and analysis framework will utilize a common EW ontology that supports system effectiveness assessment based on perceived dynamic threat operating capabilities and supports automated system compensation due to randomly or purposely disrupted communication of networked EW assets. The common EW ontology used in the ARATS will enable modification of data routing through policy negotiation and the utilization of inference-derived data to support alternative mission modeling defined to minimize loss of tactical performance due to network disruption. It should be noted that the conceptual ARATS resides within an existing Electronic Warfare Training Environment and that it will interface with existing EW Platform Simulations including any associated threat emulation assets (e.g. AMES III threat environment generator etc.). It is also assumed that the EW Training Environment will be networked with a LVC Synthetic Battle-space Environment (SBE) via a wide area network (WAN) and that the SBE will share training scenario Threat Database, any Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED), and Mission Plan components required to synchronize the EW Training Assets with the network centric training environment. For the ARATS to successfully collaborate with external tactical entities in a meaningful mission thread, those entities must support interoperable communication such as provided by the Joint Mission Environment Test Capability (JMETC) wide area network where the EW training environment, with the ARATS enhanced simulation, accepts and contributes meaningful mission information to the SBE consisting of Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) elements. In this way a remote constructive mission environment can support multiple"ghosted"assets while within the EW Training Environment the ARATS enhanced threat simulation will correctly represent responsive IADS functionality at the local level that reflect the SBE mission thread while providing accurate system effect information to the SBE. It is also anticipated that the application of the ARATS framework with future (unmanned) assets would use the"core"components with few modifications and could evolve into collaborative multi-assets (Flock) tactics that exploit multiple triangulation sub-networks led or monitored by a"Sheppard"controller. In a collaborative mission the unmanned ARATS enabled assets can participate in sweep or herding missions in association with other and / or with master command and control vehicles or ground support elements. This type of dynamic collaborative association is the primary strength of the agent based concept. Agent enabled assets can join or leave the mission with automated integration into mission objectives and dynamically assigned tasking while supporting situational awareness at appropriate tactical levels. The Phase I effort will define capabilities that facilitates a collaborative decision making environment related to the electronic warfare domain. These capabilities will utilize proven agent technologies and will include the development of robust functionality based on a common EW ontology and inference reasoning in support of alternative action assessment and simulation. The successful Phase I effort will yield not only a proven conceptual design, but will also demonstrate the basic architecture and serve to uncover unanticipated challenges, develop insight into problem areas, and communicate in a tangible way the promise of the solution. The automated assimilation of agent enabled assets into a specific mission can exploit unique capabilities of special purpose vehicles to accomplish dynamic mission objectives while maintaining a common / familiar user interface. The dynamic mission / threat response functions of the ARATS can be applied to non-conventional unmanned missions via the agent enabled concept to including coordinated jamming, collaborative reconnaissance, and home-land security missions such as biological / radiation (Bio/Rad) characterization as well as target recognition and designation. The ARATS commercialization plan follows the Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) that structures the functional design components as modular, maintainable, units utilizing open source tools and standards to maximize the opportunities the SBIR Program offers to small businesses. The culmination of a complete ARATS and related development environment provides a platform from which prototype demonstrations will be conducted to potential customers that have been identified during Phase I. The SBIR Phase II effort will demonstrate system integration with real world components, and serve to cement customer commitment for new applications in the Phase III effort. Phase III will culminate in field demonstration of a fully integrated system and will be exploited to identify commercial / joint service applications.