TERRAIN CONTOUR MATCHING (TERCOM) MAP PLACEMENT

Determining sites to build new TERCOM maps has proven to be a very complicated and time consuming task, as evidenced in both SIOP cruise missile planning and Operation Desert Storm. The cruise missile planner, with some difficulty, can determine needed candidate TERCOM sites, but all too ofter, because of insufficient terrain roughness, the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) is unable to create a TERCOM at this location. According to DMA, as many as 90% of the TERCOM requests they receive are infeasible or repeat infeasible requests. As a result, the planner is left with unsatisfied TERCOM needs, and DMA's time is wasted. SCT has been developing an interactive graphics program for the Air Force which integrates our operationally proven cruise missile routing algorithms with DMA-endorsed TERCOM site validation criteria. This program provides a window based user interface with graphical plots, optimal path computations, data management of past and present TERCOM requests, TERCOM site validation tests, request form production, and message handling between DMA and the STRATCOM. This technology can be adapted to meet the Navy's specific TERCOM planning needs at a low cost with minimal or no risk. This nuclear planning tool will result in TERCOM requests being sent to DMA which are not only feasible, but which truly satisfy the cruise missile routing needs.