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The AEGIS Cruiser Air-Defense Simulation is a program that models the operations of a Combat Information Center (CIC) team performing the ADC duties in a battle group using Multi-Agent System (MAS) technology implemented in the Java programming language. Set in the Arabian Gulf region, the simulation is a top-view, dynamic, graphics-driven software implementation that provides a picture of the CIC team grappling with a challenging, complex problem. Conceived primarily as a system to assist ships, waterfront training teams, and battle group staffs in ADC training and doctrine formulation, the simulation was designed to gain insight and understanding into the numerous factors (skills, experience, fatigue, aircraft numbers, weather, etc.) that influence the performance of the overall CIC team and watchstanders. The program explores the team's performance under abnormal or high intensity/stress situations by simulating their mental processes, decision-making aspects, communications patterns, and cognitive attributes. Everything in the scenario is logged, which allows for the reconstruction of interesting events (i.e. watchstander mistakes, chain-of-error analysis) for use in post-scenario training as well as the creation of new, more focused themes for actual CIC team scenarios. The simulation also tracks various watchstander and CIC team performance metrics for review by the user., http://archive.org/details/autonomousgentba109451134, Lieutenant, United States Navy

The research presented in this thesis attempts to show how using a competitive approach to artificial intelligence (AI) design can lead to improvement of the AI solutions used in military simulations. To demonstrate the potential of the competitive approach, ORTS, a real-time strategy game engine, and its competition setup are used. To justify the thesis statement, a set of exploratory experiments are conducted. The experiments represent a tournament of virtual battles between base case AIs and test case AIs. The existing OTRS clients are used as base cases, and the test cases are evolved using the competitive approach to AI design described in this work. The analysis of the results from the tournament proves the advantages of the competitive approach. At the end of the thesis, some conclusions and recommendations for future work are made., http://archive.org/details/usingcompetitive109454150, Bulgarian Army author., Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited., Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

An imaging radar, like ISAR, offers a combatant the capability to perform long range surveillance with high quality imagery for positive target identification. Extending this attractive feature to the battle damage assessment problem (BDA) gives the operator instant viewing of the target's behavior when it is hit. As a consequence, immediate and decisive action can be quickly taken (if required). However, the conventional Fourier processing adopted by most ISAR systems does not provide adequate time resolution to capture the target's dynamic responses during the hit. As a result, the radar image becomes distorted. To improve the time resolution, time-frequency transform (TFT) methods of ISAR imaging have been proposed. Unlike traditional Fourier-based processing, TFT's allows variable time resolution of the entire event that falls within the ISAR coherent integration period to be extracted as part of the imaging process. We have shown in this thesis that the use of linear Short Time-Frequency Transforms allows the translational response of the aircraft caused by a blast force to be clearly extracted. The TFT extracted images not only tell us how the aircraft responds to a blast effect but also provides additional information about the cause of image distortion in the traditional ISAR display., http://archive.org/details/battledamagesses109451223, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

In the near future advances in mechanical and electrical engineering will enable the production of a wide variety of relatively low cost robotic vehicles. This thesis investigates the behavior of swarms of military robots acting autonomously. The Multi-Agent Robot Swarm Simulation (MARSS) was developed for modeling the behavior of swarms of military robots. MARSS contains state, sensing, and behavioral model building tools that allow a range of complex entities and interactions to be represented. It is a model-building tool that draws theory and ideas from agent-based simulation, discrete event simulation, traditional operations research, search theory, swarm theory, and experimental design. MARSS enables analysts to explore the effect of individual behavioral factors on swarm performance. The performance response surface can be explored using designed experiments. A model was developed in MARSS to investigate the effects of increasing behavioral complexity for a search scenario involving a swarm of Micro Air Vehicles (MAV's) searching for mobile tanks in a region. Agreement between theoretical and simulated search scenarios for simple searchers was found. The effect of increased MAV sensory and behavioral capability was demonstrated to be important. Little improvement was observed in swarm performance with these capabilities, however agent performance was adversely affected by reacting to increased knowledge in the wrong way. The utility of MARSS for conducting this type of analysis was demonstrated., http://archive.org/details/modelingrobotswa109455938, Captain, Australian Army, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

A system of systems design is the development of multiple systems that individually provide various functions that collectively support a holistic functional capability. With the evolution of today's increased demand for heterogeneous systems that integrate to form complex system of systems, integration and interoperability are critical to cost, schedule, and performance during the lifecycle of a product. Successful integration and interoperability must be achieved for future system of systems. Enterprises must explore and discover the current and future techniques of building both human and technical systems that requires a deep knowledge and understanding of integration and interoperability. In support of this goal, this thesis, through research and analysis, develops a descriptive and prescriptive approach to assist management in achieving integration and interoperability. This thesis discovers the key attributes that result in an integrated and interoperable system and determines new procedures and techniques that can be recommended to achieve the system engineering required to support interoperability and ensure integration of system of systems., http://archive.org/details/integrationndint109453907, ASN RDA, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The US Navy is exploring the feasibility of using a high energy laser weapon as a ship-borne self-defense system against sea-skimming cruise missile attacks. Since the attenuation of laser energy by the atmosphere is the highest at low altitudes and varies with frequency, the selection of appropriate wavelengths becomes critical for a laser weapon to be effective. A high energy free electron laser (FEL) is suitable for employment in the envisaged role because it can be designed to operate at any desired frequency and, to a degree, is tunable in operation. This study aims to determine the optimal atmospheric windows for high energy, pico second, short pulse lasers. Computer simulations were carried out by convolving a pulse spectrum with the transmission spectrum and the absorption coefficient from the MODTRAN and FASCODE atmospheric codes. Transmission spectrum and absorption coefficient plots were compared to find the range of suitable wavelengths that give good transmittance and low absorption coefficient values. The molecular absorption spectrum was chosen over the extinction spectrum because of known limitations of the Navy Aerosol Model results incorporated into the MODTRAN and FASCODE calculations. Results showed that several suitable windows could be found within the 0.95 to 2.5 æm region that offer at least 90% transmittance with absorption coefficient values of not more than 0.02 per km. For 99% transmittance, optimal wavelengths are between 1.03 and 1.06 æm, and around 1.241 and 1.624 æm. However, the disadvantage of operating near the 1 æm region is the high aerosol extinction. The Navy Aerosol Model used in the atmospheric codes needs to be validated or replaced and actual aerosol data collected in the geographical areas of interest before a more accurate assessment of the optimal wavelengths can be made., http://archive.org/details/atmospherictrans109456224, Lieutenant Colonel, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This thesis explores the definition of FORCEnet, determines what degree of consensus exists about its concepts and evaluates the Joint Fires Network against FORCEnet principles. The military has been moving toward network based information operations, but struggles to stay current with information technology (IT). IT and knowledge management are not mature disciplines. The services struggle to choose durable standards, processes and systems, and field them across a vast enterprise quickly. Additionally, complex acquisition and configuration processes are incapable of producing interoperable networks on the timescale of IT growth. Though the services and agencies have fielded capable systems in the past, they become legacy if a newer standard is adopted that disenfranchises them. Organizational transformation is required to support flexibility in the Department of Defense. Sea Power 21 is a comprehensive attempt to address the implications of the IT revolution. The legs of the vision are Sea Basing, Sea Shield and Sea Strike. The enabler is FORCEnet, "the operational construct and architectural framework of naval warfare in the information age that integrates Warriors, sensors, networks, command and control, platforms, and weapons into a networked, distributed combat force that is scalable across all levels of conflict from seabed to space and sea to land.", http://archive.org/details/aforcenetframewo10945921, Commander, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The thesis presents the design, development, and implementation of a multi-agent simulation that models coverage and deployment of mobile and non-mobile sensors performing collaborative target detection missions. The focus is on sensor networks with enough sensors that humans cannot individually manage each sensor. Experiments investigate novel search, coverage, and deployment algorithms, and compare them to known methods. The experiments show algorithms productive for area coverage are not useful for detecting unauthorized traversals and vice versa. Obstacles, sensor mechanisms, mission parameters, and deployment schemes are analyzed for their effect on coverage quality. This work facilitates further research in sensor coverage and deployment strategies using sensor agents., http://archive.org/details/multiagentsimula109456305, Captain, United States Marine Corps, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The Anti-Submarine Warfare screen design simulation is a program that provides a model for operations in anti-submarine warfare (ASW). The purpose of the program is to aid ASW commanders, allowing them to configure an ASW screen, including the sonar policy, convoy speed, and the number of ships, to gain insight into how these and other factors beyond their control, such as water conditions, impact ASW effectiveness. It is also designed to be used as a training tool for ASW officers. The program is implemented in Java programming language, using the Multi Agent System (MAS) technique. The simulation interface is a Horizontal Display Center (HDC) which is very similar to a MEKO200 class Frigate Combat Information Center's (CIC) HDC. The program uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) files for reading data for program scenarios; parameters are initialized before each run time begins. The simulation also provides all the output data at the end of run time for analysis purposes. The program user's goal, and the purpose of the program, is to decrease the number of successful attacks against surface vessels by changing the configuration parameters of the ASW screen, to reflect sonar policy, convoy speed or number of ships in the simulation. Ongoing use of the program can provide data needed to anticipate required operational needs in future ASW situations., http://archive.org/details/autonomousagentb109451718, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The Small Robot Initiative at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) has spent several years in development based on the Foster Miller lemmings platform. This platform, in conjunction with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) control architecture, is capable of autonomous, land based waypoint navigation, self orientation, and rudimentary obstacle avoidance. It can receive waypoint information, manual control input, and transmit video and audio information back to a control station via 802.11 wireless communication. The introduction of the WHEGS design, developed at Case Western Reserve University, and a modified version of the COTS control system will provide a platform with greater speed, mobility and versatility. This thesis developed a prototype WHEGS vehicle and integrated the control system with improvements in the navigation routine through the addition of a dead reckoning sensor and calculation function. Although the mechanical design proved to be highly inefficient and unable to propel itself, the control system was successful, allowing integration with a more robust mechanical design from Case Western Reserve University. Follow on development and research will lighten the body through the use of carbon fiber and test the robots ability to maneuver effectively in the surf-zone., http://archive.org/details/designofprototyp109451878, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The ability to rapidly mobilize the Marine Corps in times of crisis is a cornerstone of United States defense strategy. We present a network- optimization based system which, in conjunction with carefully designed and scrupulously maintained manpower databases, assigns Marine officers to mobilization billets. The system is installed on a 386-based personal computer, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete a mobilization involving as many as 40,000 officers (i.e., all available active-duty, reserve and retired Marine officers) and 27,000 billets. The small amount of PC computing time that the system spends on this very large assignment problem includes the production of output suitable for generating orders-to-report via MAILGRAM. Prior to our work, the only tool the Marine Corps had to help with mobilization assignment was a mainframe-based system which takes two to four days to complete a mobilization. The new system is not only much faster, but it also produces significantly better assignments than the old system with respect to all measures of effectiveness considered. Keywords: Military appreciations; Manpower; Optimization; Networks. (sdw), prepared in conjunction with research funded under the Naval Postgraduate School Research Council Research Program, http://archive.org/details/mobilizingmarine00baus, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

The infrared (IR) radiation emitted or reflected in an off-normal direction from a smooth surface is partially polarized. This principle can be used for enhanced discrimination of targets from backgrounds in marine environment. It has been shown that (man-made) targets do not demonstrate a pronounced polarization effect when observed at near normal exitance whereas the sea background radiation has a significant degree of polarization in slant observation directions. The NPS split-field polarimeter was previously designed and constructed to provide simultaneous image pairs in a single frame, differing only in the direction of linear polarization. The system can operate in both long wavelength (8-12 æm) and the mid wavelength (3-5 æm) with interchangeable polarizing splitter plates. In this thesis, tests were conducted to visually compare the polarizing effect on objects in the 3-5 æm waveband using the polarimeter and with the external polarizer. The image recorded in the laboratory with the horizontal and vertical polarizations depicts a contrast enhancement differing with varied aspect of the target. With the successful demonstration of the polarimeter operability, the performance of the thermal imager operated with and without the polarimeter was characterized by measuring its Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference (MRTD) as a function of different spatial frequency. The measured performance was then compared against the same thermal imager using an external polarizer. The measured MRTD curve is used to model the system detection and recognition range using the Johnson criteria., http://archive.org/details/testingndperform109456123, Civilian, Defence Science and Technology Agency, Singapore, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Visual perception modeling is generally weak for game AI and computer generated forces (CGF), or agents, in computer games and military simulations. Several tricks and shortcuts are used in perceptual modeling. The results are, under certain conditions, unrealistic behaviors that negatively effect user immersion in games and call into question the validity of calculations in fine resolution military simulations. By determining what the computer-generated agent sees using methods similar to that used to generate the human players' screen view in 3- D virtual environments, we hope to present a method that can more accurately model human visual perception, specifically the major problem of a entity "hiding in plain sight", http://archive.org/details/agentbasedtarget109452300, Lieutenant, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Information Superiority is the driver for the creation of the Global Information Grid (GIG) as the mean to provide connectivity between all parts of shore establishments, and with all deployed forces at sea and ashore. The Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) is an information technology (IT) services contract to provide to provide secure universal access to integrated voice, video and data communications; eliminate interoperability problems and remove network impediments to improve productivity and speed of command to the shore-based components of the Navy and Marine Corps. The NMCI contract is the procurement of IT services based on a commercial model of Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Under this model, the emphasis is placed on the verification, validation, and monitoring of the end-user services and not on the underlying infrastructure of systems. The research explores the current implementing effort of NMCI and analyzes the way this common network capability is tested and monitored. This thesis will provide a single source of information for managers seeking to quickly understand the impact of NMCI as an enterprise level asset. Security policies related to the project are examined and recommendations to improve this new IT initiative are made., http://archive.org/details/monitoringprogre109451691, Lieutenant, Hellenic Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This thesis presents an integer programming model to help the Navy develop long-range shipbuilding plans. The model is of a general nature, but is proposed specifically as a decision aid for the developers of the Navy's Extended Planning Annex (EPA). The EPA sets forth planned ship purchases five to 20 years in the future. It is currently produced with a mainly manual process that takes weeks at a time, hence it is extremely difficult for the EPA planners to respond quickly to changes in the given data and assumptions. The optimization model suggests delivery dates for new ships, based on given budgets and requirements, and accounts for such complexities as the extra costs of building a leadship or of resuming construction after a production break. The model has been formulated with the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and effectively solved with two commercial optimization packages. It performs fact enough to allow the planner to make several "what if" runs in the course of developing the EPA., http://archive.org/details/anintegerprogram1094527101, Lieutenant, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Present-day high power microwave devices suffer from a lack of reliable, reproducible cathodes for generating the requisite GW-level electron beam in a vacuum. Standard explosive emission cathode pulse durations have been limited to 10's or 100's of ns due to the expansion of cathode-generated plasma and the ensuing impedance collapse that debilitates microwave output. Traditional thermionic cathodes do not suffer from this drawback of plasma generation, but have not yet been able to provide the required emission current densities explosive emission cathodes are capable of. It is expected that if the plasma could be made cooler and less dense, explosive emission would be more stable. Cesium iodide (CsI) has been found to slow the impedance collapse in many explosive emission cathodes. Herein we will experimentally examine diode impedance collapse, gas production, and cathode conditioning in an effort to perform an evaluation of explosive cathode performance in a typical thermionic electron gun environment. These results will then be used to help demarcate the parameter space over which these CsI-coated carbon fiber cathodes are viable candidates for the electron beam source in next-generation high power microwave devices., http://archive.org/details/explosiveemissio109451470, Lieutenant, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Information technology has woven itself into the fabric of every organization. As organizations grow and develop specialized needs, specialized software applications emerge to address the needs. Often the business processes take shape around the capabilities of the software applications and the technology infrastructure, until the two are inseparable from one another. When an organization decides to incorporate new processes or upgrade its information architecture, the new system may lack compatibility with the old system. The old, incompatible software is typically referred to as a "legacy application". In an effort to integrate the old applications with the new, organizations are typically faced with expensive, proprietary Enterprise Application Integration solutions. Fitting Out and Supply Support Assistance Center (FOSSAC) is an organization facing a legacy application integration challenge with the implementation of the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet. This thesis examines the applicability of traditional Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) methodologies for FOSSAC as way to preserve access to its legacy applications. As an alternative integration solution, this thesis explores the potential of the emerging Web Services architecture. The Web Services architecture employs standard Internet protocols to facilitate application integration and information sharing across a variety of computing-platforms., http://archive.org/details/evaluationofente109454966, Lieutenant, United States Navy, Major, United States Marine Corps

A method for inferring evaporative duct refractivity profiles from radar clutter was introduced by Rogers et al. (2000) called Refractivity from Clutter (RFC). Climatological data from three tactical ocean areas of interest were used to investigation the RFC method using a numerical simulation of an S-band radar. The magnitude of the error introduced by inferring a neutrally equivalent refractive profile from one parameter (radar clutter) was compared against the traditional bulk method which calculates the profile based on environmental measurements. A benchmark for the simulated RFC error was determined by applying measurement errors to the simulated environment and by then calculating refractive profiles using the bulk method. Results of the simulation show that the error introduced by the RFC method is comparable to the error caused by measurement errors for the traditional method. The neutral equivalent profile inferred by RFC exhibited slightly increasing error with height and more than twice the error with frequency when applied to X-band propagation. Finally, a method for investigating tactical impacts of using refractive profiles against low flying anti-ship missiles was developed. Results show that the simulated RFC method determined the detection range of several hypothetical missiles within five percent of the actual predicted range., http://archive.org/details/assessingeffects109456070, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

A thorough examination of the Secure Application Integration Methodology (SAIM) for applicability in the Department of the Navy (DON) would provide useful information about a beneficial methodology. SAIM is analyzed, by accessing its step by step directions, for suitability in the integration of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects implemented by the SYSTEMS COMMANDS (SYSCOMS). The Navy Enterprise Convergence Team (NECT) that leads the ERP integration effort could benefit from a sound Enterprise Application Integration methodology. Results do not support SAIM as the sole guiding EAI methodology however it could have some value to the NECT. SAIM has three primary benefits which NECT could employ: 1) It provides a complete walkthrough of the EAI process, 2) It emphasizes the importance of an Enterprise Architecture, and 3) It provides useful management checklists along with other important considerations. SAIM also has some significant shortcomings: 1) It does not support all the DON Chief Information Officer requirements, 2) It does not provide Change Management Guidance, 3) It does not take into account the uniqueness of the Navy's environment, and finally 4) SAIM relies on an Enterprise Architecture as its foundation which the Navy does not currently have., http://archive.org/details/analyzingfeasibi109451651, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

NMCI is a mechanism to transform the Navy and Marine Corps and move them into the 21st century of warfare. Just as the Internet has transformed business and commerce around the globe, NMCI will transform the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps by harnessing the power of an integrated network. Consequently, the Navy and Marine Corps must consider systems and strategies that address the need for survivability of the network mission essential functions in the same manner applied to major weapons systems on the battlefield. Network Survivability is a field of study that addresses exactly this issue. Developed in 1998 under a Defense contract by the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute, Network Survivability addresses the need of a network to fulfill its essential mission in the presence of failures, compromise, or attack. This thesis examines the Navy and Marine Corps Intranet mission and structure in an attempt to determine its inherent survivability and ability to support the needs of the Navy and Marine Corps team. It focuses on identifying the network mission functions and the ability of the network architecture to produce the required survivability characteristics. Based on this examination I propose a mission definition for NMCI and highlight the needs within the security architecture to achieve a survivable NMCI., http://archive.org/details/networksurvivabi109455299, Commander, United States Naval Reserve, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.