SOF TRAK-Route Planning System for Special Operations Forces

This Phase II SBIR program will create a route planning system for Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel that can generate optimal routes for a number of different modes of transportation. The system will be called SOFTRAK. The system will developroutes considering a number of parameters unique to military operations. These parameters include enemy capabilities and presence, concealment, militarily significant terrain, mission, own capabilities and energy expenditure of SOF personnel. The systemwill be compatible with C4I devices currently in use in the SOF community. It will be hosted on a laptop computer to support planning and analysis. It will also be hosted on a Palmtop computer to support real-time planning and route execution by SOF teamsin an operational or field environment. We anticipate that this effort will provide a tool for SOF personnel that will increase their mission success rate, by allowing them to optimize the routes SOF teams use. We also anticipate that the system willincrease SOF team survivability by allowing these teams to quickly generate safe routes, when they encounter unanticipated and dangerous situations, during actual operations.