Suitability of Agent-Based Systems for Command and Control in Fault-Tolerant, Safety-Critical Responsive Decision Networks

We assess the novelty and maturity of software (SW) agent-based systems (ABS) for the Future Combat System (FCS) concept. The concept consists of troops, vehicles, communications, and weapon systems viewed as a “system of systems” [including net-centric command and control (C) capabilities]. In contrast to a centralized, or platformbased architecture, FCS avoids decision-making/execution bottlenecks by combining intelligence gathering and analysis available at lower levels in the military hierarchy. ABS are particularly suitable in satisfying battle-space scalability, mobility, and security (SMS) expectations. A set of FCS SW requirements (SRs) was developed based on needs aligned with current computer science technology and inherent limitations. ABS advantages (i.e., SMS) are enabled mainly through a stronger messaging/coordination (MC) model. Such capabilities in an FCS environment do not currently exist, though a number of strong (analogous) agent-based systems have been deployed due to the lack of information fusion and decision support. Nevertheless, ABS can support most networked FCS C requirements despite the lack of current empirical and theoretical validation.