Robust Contingency Planning for Multiple ISR Sensors

An essential capability of an information gathering architecture is the ability to adapt to dynamic re-tasking requirements (i.e. the ability to manage real-time moding, pointing, and directing of ISR sensors) commensurate with the decision-making time scale of tactical, battlefield operations. Reliance on reactive dynamic re-tasking alone is likely to require excessive sensing resources to meet tactical time-lines. A more efficient and robust approach is to develop semi-automated planning tools that are capable of generating collection plans that hedge against uncertainty to provide robustness to expected contingencies (e.g., pop-up tasks, degradation of sensor performance, loss of a sensor, etc.). ALPHATECH is uniquely qualified to address the problem of robust collection planning for effective dynamic re-tasking of ISR assets. ALPHATECH has been at the forefront of developing new technology for ISR collection planning and management. A significant challenge confronting the generation of robust plans is properly balancing between the accommodation of contingencies, performing wide area surveillance, and collecting against known targets. This proposal addresses the challenge of robust collection planning using an innovative optimization approach incorporating models for contingencies and developing plans that balance the potentially conflicting objectives of an ISR collection manager.