Naval Network-Centric Sensor Resource Management

The benefits of implementing a network-centric Navy lie in the new capabilities made possible by enhanced information sharing between Naval platforms. Foremost is the potential to enable, enhance, and automate dispersed decision-making to support real-time critical mission areas. This paper explores a network-centric paradigm-enabled application: multi-platform sensor resource management. Sensors in platform-centric Naval Battle Forces are generally utilized and managed to support a single weapon or combat system. The networking of combat systems and platforms creates an information architecture in which sensor management can shift to a Battle Force (BF) focus. In such a network-centric paradigm, individual sensors address the needs of the BF as a whole, overcoming the platform-centric architecture, which constrains sensor use to individual platform’s needs. This paper explores design concepts for an automated sensor resource manager that tasks sensors to address BF needs. Network-centric sensor resource management relies on viewing the BF as a single integrated interoperable combat system of systems, rather than a collection of loosely connected surface, subsurface, and air platforms. Such BF level thinking shifts the focus from legacy stovepipe systems and platforms with little or no collaboration incentive, to optimized uses of resources that transcend platform boundaries and span multi-threat dimensions. This paper explores interoperability problems and root causes associated with legacy Naval BF sensor management and poses solutions and considerations for a network-centric sensor resource manager that functions as part of a BF system of systems. Network-centric sensor resource management relies on the achievement of BF information superiority. Information concerning the tactical battle space and BF resources (status & capabilities of sensors, weapons, communications, etc.) must be timely, accurate, and consistent across the BF in order to enable optimized sensor command and control. Another enabler is the introduction of higher levels of automation in link management to support optimized interplatform communications. Additionally, the human interaction with automated decision aids is a critical factor in the design of a BF sensor resource manager. This paper explores a BF-wide Naval Network-Centric Sensor Resource Management April 2002 Page 3 synchronized information database, intelligent link management, and human-machine interactions as necessary enablers for a network-centric sensor resource manager. This paper makes a case for further study of Naval BF sensor resource management as a viable network-centric application. An analysis is presented which addresses the BF’s need for a sensor resource manager. The paper predicts enhancements to the BF based on the adoption of an automated sensor resource manager application into the network-centric Naval BF. I. Cooperative Sensor Resource Manager Concept The Naval BF is comprised of surface, subsurface, and air platforms (such as aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious warfare ships, surveillance aircraft, fighter jets, and submarines), sensor systems, weapon systems, communication systems, decision nodes (i.e., tactical command centers and planning commands), decision makers, and operators. Historically, the framework of the Naval BF has been based on a platform-centric foundation in which individual platforms acted as autonomous, self-sufficient systems that independently addressed mission areas (such as: theater air and missile defense, surface warfare, undersea warfare, mine warfare, land attack warfare, and information warfare). Collaboration between platforms was limited to addressing tactical missions in real-time or near-real time. Figure 1 – Not Using BF Resources to Fullest Extent In the platform-centric Naval paradigm, sensor and weapon resources have not been used to their fullest extent. This is illustrated in Figure 1, in which the concentric circles depict the Effective Engagement Envelope (E3) (the surrounding region in which the platform can fire interceptors at enemy air targets) as smaller than the maximum weapons range and sensor range. Thus, the BF is not reaping the full benefit afforded from its sensor and weapons resources. The graph in Figure 1 shows that the point in time when a weapon can actually be fired (must fall within the E3 reaction time) comes later in the sensor-to-shooter timeline than the time when the weapons launch could have made full use of the weapon’s maximum range. Figure 1’s illustrations are focused on a single Naval platform, but can easily be extended to a BF where multiple platforms are involved. However, introducing more platforms causes the problems and complexities involved in effectively managing BF resources to steadily increase. Single Platform Sensor Range