SPA: Search Planning for ASW

Scientific Systems Company, Inc. (SSCI) and Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors (MS2) propose to to design, implement, and validate "SPA: Search Planning for ASW", a system that exploits environmental, sensor, and threat information to make maximal use of available sensors for ASW mission effectiveness. This system will account for (1) a variety of acoustic and nonacoustic sensors using real environmental data under a variety of flight conditions (altitude, airspeed, etc.) (2) mutual interference problems when sensors operate simultaneously (3) platform location, capability (speed, ability to turn, sensors carried, etc.), and availability (e.g., deployable sensors such as sonobuoys are limited to storage capacity) (4) a measure effectiveness (MOE) that will include maximized cumulative probability of detection, minimized time elapsed to meet a detection probability threshold, maximized probability of survival, etc. and combinations thereof) and tailor to suit present needs. The Phase I will simulate sets of controlled, but realistic, sensor performance data and evaluate the validity of the proposed concept and will show the value of optimal search planning and the need for joint sensor usage. The Phase II will build a prototype tactical decision aid system. For Phase III, this team will work with the Navy to transition and integrate this system in MMA.