ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-ENABLED MULTI-MISSION RESOURCE ALLOCATION TACTICAL DECISION AID

The Department of Defense supports many military platforms that execute multiple missions simultaneously. Platforms such as watercraft, aircraft, and land convoys support multiple missions over domains such as air and missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, strike operations, fires in support of ground operations, intelligence sensing and reconnaissance. However, major challenges to the human decision-maker exist in allocating these multi-mission resources such as the growth in battle-tempo, scale, and complexity of available platforms. This capstone study seeks to apply systems engineering to analyze the multi-mission resource allocation (MMRA) problem set to further enable artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools to aid human decision-makers for initial and dynamic re-planning. To approach this problem, the study characterizes inputs and outputs of a potential MMRA process, then analyzes the scalability and complexity across three unique use cases: directed energy convoy protection, aviation support, and a carrier strike group. The critical findings of these diverse use cases were then assessed for similarities and differences to further understand commonalities for a joint AI-enabled MMRA tool.Civilian, Department of the ArmyCivilian, Department of the ArmyCivilian, Department of the NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Accurate navigation applied to landing maneuvers on mobile platforms for unmanned aerial vehicles

Drones are quickly developing worldwide and in Europe in particular. They represent the future of a high percentage of operations that are currently carried out by manned aviation or satellites. Compared to fixed-wing UAVs, rotary wing UAVs have as advantages the hovering, agile maneuvering and vertical take-off and landing capabilities, so that they are currently the most used aerial robotic platforms. In operations from ships and boats, the final approach and the landing maneuver are the phases of the operation that involves a higher risk and where it is required a higher level of precision in the position and velocity estimation, along with a high level of robustness in the operation. In the framework of the EC-SAFEMOBIL and the REAL projects, this thesis is devoted to the development of a guidance and navigation system that allows completing an autonomous mission from the take-off to the landing phase of a rotary-wing UAV (RUAV). More specifically, this thesis is focused on the development of new strategies and algorithms that provide sufficiently accurate motion estimation during the autonomous landing on mobile platforms without using the GNSS constellations. In one hand, for the phases of the flights where it is not required a centimetric accuracy solution, here it is proposed a new navigation approach that extends the current estimation techniques by using the EGNOS integrity information in the sensor fusion filter. This approach allows improving the accuracy of the estimation solution and the safety of the overall system, and also helps the remote pilot to have a more complete awareness of the operation status while flying the UAV In the other hand, for those flight phases where the accuracy is a critical factor in the safety of the operation, this thesis presents a precise navigation system that allows rotary-wing UAVs to approach and land safely on moving platforms, without using GNSS at any stage of the landing maneuver, and with a centimeter-level accuracy and high level of robustness. This system implements a novel concept where the relative position and velocity between the aerial vehicle and the landing platform can be calculated from a radio-beacon system installed in both the UAV and the landing platform or through the angles of a cable that physically connects the UAV and the landing platform. The use of a cable also incorporates several extra benefits, like increasing the precision in the control of the UAV altitude. It also facilitates to center the UAV right on top of the expected landing position and increases the stability of the UAV just after contacting the landing platform. The proposed guidance and navigation systems have been implemented in an unmanned rotorcraft and a large number of tests have been carried out under different conditions for measuring the accuracy and the robustness of the proposed solution. Results showed that the developed system allows landing with centimeter accuracy by using only local sensors and that the UAV is able to follow a mobile landing platform in multiple trajectories at different velocities

A technique for determining viable military logistics support alternatives

A look at today's US military will see them operating much beyond the scope of protecting and defending the United States. These operations now consist of, but are not limited to humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and conflict resolution. This broad spectrum of operational environments has necessitated a transformation of the individual military services into a hybrid force that can leverage the inherent and emerging capabilities from the strengths of those under the umbrella of the Department of Defense (DOD), this concept has been coined Joint Operations. Supporting Joint Operations requires a new approach to determining a viable military logistics support system. The logistics architecture for these operations has to accommodate scale, time, varied mission objectives, and imperfect information. Compounding the problem is the human in the loop (HITL) decision maker (DM) who is a necessary component for quickly assessing and planning logistics support activities. Past outcomes are not necessarily good indicators of future results, but they can provide a reasonable starting point for planning and prediction of specific needs for future requirements. Adequately forecasting the necessary logistical support structure and commodities needed for any resource intensive environment has progressed well beyond stable demand assumptions to one in which dynamic and nonlinear environments can be captured with some degree of fidelity and accuracy. While these advances are important, a holistic approach that allows exploration of the operational environment or design space does not exist to guide the military logistician in a methodical way to support military forecasting activities. To bridge this capability gap, a method called A Technique for Logistics Architecture Selection (ATLAS) has been developed. This thesis describes and applies the ATLAS method to a notional military scenario that involves the Navy concept of Seabasing and the Marine Corps concept of Distributed Operations applied to a platoon sized element. This work uses modeling and simulation to incorporate expert opinion and knowledge of military operations, dynamic reasoning methods, and certainty analysis to create a decisions support system (DSS) that can be used to provide the DM an enhanced view of the logistics environment and variables that impact specific measures of effectiveness.Ph.D.Committee Chair: Mavris, Dimitri; Committee Member: Fahringer, Philip; Committee Member: Nixon, Janel; Committee Member: Schrage, Daniel; Committee Member: Soban, Danielle; Committee Member: Vachtsevanos, Georg

Generating Test Cases for Marine Safety and Security Scenarios: A Composition Framework

In this paper we address the problem of testing complex computer models forinfrastructure protection and emergency response based on detailed and realisticapplication scenarios using advanced computational methods and tools. Specifically,we focus here on testing situation analysis decision support models for marine safety& security operations as a sample application domain. Arguably, methodicalapproaches for analyzing and validating situation analysis methods, decision supportmodels, and information fusion algorithms require realistic vignettes that describe ingreat detail how a situation unfolds over time depending on initial configurations,dynamic environmental conditions and uncertain operational aspects. Meaningfulresults from simulation runs require appropriate test cases, the production of whichis in itself a complex activity. To simplify this task, we introduce here the conceptualdesign of a Vignette Generator that has been developed and tested in an industrialresearch project. We also propose a framework for composing vignettes fromreusable vignette elements together with a formal representation for vignettes usingthe Abstract State Machine method and illustrate the approach by means of variouspractical examples

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 339)

This bibliography lists 105 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during July 1990. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Aeronautical Engineering. A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 156

This bibliography lists 288 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in December 1982

Electronic warfare self-protection of battlefield helicopters : a holistic view

The dissertation seeks to increase understanding of electronic warfare (EW) self-protection (EWSP) of battlefield helicopters by taking a holistic (systems) view on EWSP. It also evaluates the methodologies used in the research and their suitability as descriptive tools in communication between various EWSP stakeholders. The interpretation of the term "holistic view" is a central theme to the dissertation. The research methodology is bottom-up – which is necessary since no previous work exists that could guide the study – and progresses from analysis to synthesis. Initially several methods are evaluated for presenting findings on EWSP, including high-level system simulation such as Forrester system dynamics (FSD). The analysis is conducted by a comprehensive literature review on EW and other areas that are believed to be of importance to the holistic view. Combat scenarios, intelligence, EW support, validation, training, and delays have major influence on the effectiveness of the EWSP suite; while the initial procurement decision on the EWSP suite sets limits to what can be achieved later. The need for a vast support structure for EWSP means that countries with limited intelligence and other resources become dependent on allies for support; that is, the question of EWSP effectiveness becomes political. The synthesis shows that a holistic view on EWSP of battlefield helicopters cannot be bounded in the temporal or hierarchical (organizational) senses. FSD is found to be helpful as a quality assurance tool, but refinements are needed if FSD is to be useful as a general discussion tool. The area of survivability is found to be the best match for the holistic view – for an EWSP suprasystem. A global survivability paradigm is defined as the ultimate holistic view on EWSP. It is suggested that future research should be top-down and aiming at promoting the global survivability paradigm. The survivability paradigm would give EWSP a natural framework in which its merits can be assessed objectively.reviewe

Technical Workshop: Advanced Helicopter Cockpit Design

Information processing demands on both civilian and military aircrews have increased enormously as rotorcraft have come to be used for adverse weather, day/night, and remote area missions. Applied psychology, engineering, or operational research for future helicopter cockpit design criteria were identified. Three areas were addressed: (1) operational requirements, (2) advanced avionics, and (3) man-system integration

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 324)

This bibliography lists 200 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during May, 1989. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Functional requirements for the man-vehicle systems research facility

The NASA Ames Research Center proposed a man-vehicle systems research facility to support flight simulation studies which are needed for identifying and correcting the sources of human error associated with current and future air carrier operations. The organization of research facility is reviewed and functional requirements and related priorities for the facility are recommended based on a review of potentially critical operational scenarios. Requirements are included for the experimenter's simulation control and data acquisition functions, as well as for the visual field, motion, sound, computation, crew station, and intercommunications subsystems. The related issues of functional fidelity and level of simulation are addressed, and specific criteria for quantitative assessment of various aspects of fidelity are offered. Recommendations for facility integration, checkout, and staffing are included