Intelligent WCSS for Counterspace, (IWC)

An increasing dependency on and criticality of space capabilities represents a significant and growing vulnerability. Defensive Counterspace Operations (DCS) to protect these capabilities against enemy threat are now a top DoD priority. In particular, attainment of DCS will require operators to fuse, analyze and exploit critical information from a wide array of sources within a large and complex network under dynamic and time-pressured conditions. As part of the process of developing USAF counterspace capabilities, it is necessary to develop workstations that are capable of supporting the operators who will perform the unique counterspace work. Rather than adapt legacy ground systems, this information-intensive job would benefit immensely from the adoption of new technologies for manipulating, interpreting, and managing information. CHI Systems proposes to develop a work-centered support system (WCSS) for counterspace operations that takes advantage of technology in ways that will optimally benefit operator effectiveness, focusing the human-computer interface on the work needs of the operator instead of the functionality of existing tools, databases, and other system components. CHI Systems proposes to develop this WCSS, called the Intelligent WCSS for Counterspace, or IWC, using a work-centered design methodology and toolkit based on 15 years of research and development of user interfaces.