FCS Unit of Action (UOA) Robotic Control

As Objective Force weapon systems such as Future Combat System (FCS), Multi-Role Armament System (MRAAS), and robotic missile, gun, sensor and reconnaissance systems approach fielding, humans who must control these systems are faced with an extremelydifficult span of control and cognitive awareness problem in controlling these systems. This was amply demonstrated in a recent Future Combat Command and Control (FCC2) experiment at the Mounted Maneuver Battlespace Lab (MMBL).To establish effective human control over robotic systems, we must consider the development of one or more layers of autonomous agent control of the robotic systems. This could be considered as development of robotic squad and section leaders. Theseagents would control between 5 and 10 subordinate systems, such as sensors or guns, with minimal guidance from human controllers.In Phase I, CHI Systems developed viable methodologies and preliminary design architectures to develop software components to perform robotic command and control for the FCS UOA. In Phase II, the designs will be implemented and tested within a decisionaiding component designed for use with the MRAAS Fires or Combat Decision Aiding System application architectures, and will be scaleable from the individual vehicle to Unit of Action echelons.Full implementation of FCS UOA Robotic Control with other systems in the netted fires and FCS environment will provide a seamless simulation and experimentation environment for development of robotic system command and control doctrine. The technology tobe developed is a critical technology which has immediate commercial applications in the hazardous waste management, firefighting, and bomb disposal domains, all of which require command and control of robotic systems.