Testbed for Air-vehicle Coordination Techniques (TACT)

"Future Air Force missions will rely on large numbers of heterogeneous air vehicles, and will require advanced coordination capabilities scaling with mission size, structure, and mission environment. Our objective in this effort is to develop a Testbed forAir-vehicle Coordination Techniques (TACT), to provide agent-based support for high-fidelity modeling, simulation, and analysis of UAV missions. In Phase I we demonstrated the general feasibility of the approach in the context of a UCAV SEAD scenario. Thedeveloped TACT prototype included capabilities for mission design through high-level interfaces, continuous tactical situation assessment through belief network technology, route-planning techniques that address uncertainty, and vehicle coordinationthrough a flexible communication framework.In Phase II, we propose to expand TACT's capability for supporting mission analysts in configuring and experimenting with a wide range of UAV missions. In particular, we propose to develop capabilities for the definition of flexible UAV model functionalityin terms of situation assessment techniques, plan options, coordination models, and autonomy degrees. We will also provide modeling capabilities for variable mission structures, and for the definition and use of various types of mission performancemetrics. The prototype will integrate and comply with existing US Air Force simulation environments and standards."