Multi-Agent Based Small Unit Effects Planning and Collaborative Engagement with Unmanned Systems

Unmanned Systems (UMSs) are becoming a vital component for missions among all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and these UMSs can support a tremendous range of roles in combat and surveillance around the world. Many of these roles cannot be safely performed, or are not cost-effective to perform, with an onboard crew. The presence of asymmetric threats in modern conflicts will further increase the need for unmanned systems, especially smaller, low-cost, swarming, autonomous, agent-based teams of unmanned systems. The objective of this effort is to design, develop, and build a system capable of multi-agent based small unit effects planning and collaborative engagement with unmanned systems. Numerica will develop specific capabilities to provide a decentralized network-centric tracking system with collaborative control of the UMSs capable of automated path planning and path finding. The final hardware and software system will demonstrate the innovative algorithms and concept of operations. As a complete hardware and software system with the capability to interact as a team with manned systems, this product could be used directly as is or enhanced for specific user needs. The primary focus is for military applications with potential use within industrial security systems.