Integrated Multiple-Hypothesis Nonlinear Tracking

Technologies for adaptive data fusion, multiple-hypothesis fusion management, and nonlinear tracking have, over the years, matured along separate lines of research and development. In the Phase I effort on N01-133, ORINCON and Metron developed an acoustictracking system architecture that integrates a multiple-hypothesis tracking (MHT) paradigm (the Automatic Localization and Fusion Processor (ALFP) developed by ORINCON) with a Monte Carlo particle-tracking paradigm (the NodeStar system developed byMETRON). This integrated system has been given the designation MultiStar, and is designed to apply the tracking methodology best suited to the estimated state probability of the target(s) being tracked.The goal of this Phase II effort is to implement the MultiStar architecture for submarine Tactical Control using a Spiral Build-Test-Build development approach. Objectives include: (1) Building a MultiStar Test Suite incorporating realistic simulationsand at-sea recordings; (2) Developing an advanced Kinematic Evaluator Controller (KEC); (3) Incorporation of interfaces for ranging and IPAC algorithms; (4) MultiStar integration and performance analysis; (5) Transition into the Advanced Processor Buildprogram (APB T 04). This effort should result in a practical implementation of a superior data fusion and tracking system that will be the standard against which other such systems will be compared. It will provide the speed and accuracy required to significantly improvethe Fleet's capability to solve difficult problems in C4ISR, including close encounter, log likelihood tracking, and provides a broad approach to track-before-detect capabilities. While the immediate application is to provide the highest quality datafusion and tracking system to the Navy for tactical use, the techniques developed will be applicable to a wide range of data fusion and tracking problems both in the military and civilian markets, including Integrated ASW, the Advanced Rapid COTS Insertion(ARCI) program, and the Advanced Processor Build-Tactical (APB-T).