Future Combat Systems Research Articles

Network simulation enhancing network management in real-time

This research investigates the application of network simulation to enhance network management in real-time. Its focus is on ad hoc wireless networks as needed for future public safety emergency response, homeland security, and future combat system networks where the network requirements and topology are rapidly changing. The network simulation is used to analyze user satisfaction with the network and to enable real-time what-if studies that show what the user satisfaction will be if the network is reconfigured in various ways. User satisfaction as a metric is defined to correspond to the impact of the network performance on the ability of the network user to complete their public safety, security or military functions. The current network size of interest is up to ad hoc wireless 500 nodes, a typical target load for a single network manager. At the same time, the approach is made scalable to use manager of managers approach to scale to larger networks. The article reports on the approach and performance results.

An Alternative Future Force: Building a Better Army

Recent operations in Iraq highlight the need for the Army's leadership to rethink major aspects of its transformation strategy. While the three-week period of combat operations that toppled the regime illuminates one set of implications, the continued and contested postwar operations illuminate another. Furthermore, the insights emerging from Iraq are not isolated, but part of a growing body of operational knowledge gleaned from post-Cold War operations in Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, Haiti, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. In the light of this decade of hard-won experience, it seems that the Army's transformation concept rests on a set of major assumptions which should be questioned. This article examines some of those assumptions and suggests an alternative pathway for preparing US ground forces to meet the challenges of the next several decades. The Objective Force The intent of the Army's Transformation Plan is to transform the Army into a generally homogenous force--the Objective Force, now termed the Future Force--equipped with advanced technology medium-weight combat vehicles (less than 20 tons) that will allow it to have battlefield effectiveness similar to today's heavy forces. In this sense, homogeneity implies that multiple types of divisions and brigades of the current Army (heavy, light, airborne, assault) will merge into one uniform type--although apparently the Army is still considering the possibility that the 82d Airborne and 101st Airborne (Air Assault) divisions may remain unique organizations. In October 1999, General Eric Shinseki, then the Army Chief of Staff, articulated a vision whose laudable goal was to make the Army more strategically relevant. Since that time, an Army Transformation Plan has evolved centered around the creation of a new generation of fighting vehicles based on a common platform, the Future Combat Systems (FCS), and a new organization where brigades, divisions, and corps are replaced by Units of Action (UA) and Units of Employment (UE). General Shinseki also laid out an ambitious schedule under which the FCS of systems, with its proposed array of manned and unmanned combat vehicles and associated situational awareness technologies, would be developed by the early years of the next decade. The first operational UA, roughly equivalent in size to a current brigade, would appear around 2012, followed by approximately two maneuver brigades converted to the Objective Force design each year thereafter. Current Army plans assume that the combat elements of the Army National Guard also would be transformed by 2030. The principal design constraint on the Future Combat Systems is weight. The requirement that the FCS weigh between 16 and 18 tons has two origins. First is the goal of creating an Army that is strategically more responsive than today's heavy forces but more capable than today's rapidly deployable light forces. Second, the Army wants to give the Objective Force the capability to conduct air mechanized maneuver via tactical airlift, initially by the C-130 and in the future by a follow-on system that is either a very short take-off and landing, fixed-wing aircraft or a heavy-lift rotary-wing aircraft, the Air Maneuver Transport (AMT). (1) To realize this operational airmechanized maneuver capability, potentially deep in an enemy's rear areas, the Future Combat Systems can weigh no more than 16 to 18 tons. (2) The Army is resorting to an array of approaches to squeeze weight out of the force structure. Instead of relying on heavy armor for protection, the Army is postulating a combination of high-technology protective measures and situational awareness to protect the FCS combat vehicles. Second, it is slimming down the supporting logistical structure by exploiting hybrid engine technology so that the FCS family will demand far less logistical support for large-scale military campaigns at both transoceanic (strategic) and regional (operational) distances. …

Conquering the Elements: Thoughts on Joint Force (Re)Organization

Operation Iraqi Freedom demonstrated, or should have demonstrated, that joint warfighting--that is, the synergistic application of the unique capabilities of each service so that the net result is capability that is greater than the sum of the parts--is not just the mantra of the Department of Defense, but is, in fact, reality. Nevertheless, as successful as Operation Iraqi Freedom was, the department might take the concept of joint operations to still another level. If Operation Iraqi Freedom provided the observer with glimpses of innovative, task-organized units such as the Army's elite Delta Force special missions unit working with platoon of M1 Abrams main battle tanks and close air support, we still see segmentation of the battlespace that creates unnatural seams, inhibiting the full potential of joint force. How does this square with future joint operational concepts? Can the current architecture of joint force command and control arrangements react responsively and effectively to the threat environment that exists today and will likely confront our forces in the future? Is there better way? In this article, we will explore those questions as we look at alternative joint force architectures that might better unleash the full capability of the Department of Defense. The Paths to Military Innovation In simple terms, states prepare their militaries for the future by reworking, reequipping, or redesigning their forces to better meet their security needs, to develop decisive means, or to ensure their competitive lead in military capabilities. is the pursuit of such an increase in military capability, and the DOD's Transformation Planning Guidance tells us that it is imperative for the US military to transform. The Transformation Planning Guidance defines transformation as a process that shapes the changing nature of military competition and cooperation through new combinations of concepts, capabilities, people, and organizations that exploit our nation's advantages and protect against our asymmetric vulnerabilities to sustain our strategic position. (1) Each of the four components of transformation can be seen as path or axis along which one might proceed toward military innovation, either separately or in conjunction with journey down one or more of the other paths. In order to put our discussion within broader framework, each of the paths bears closer examination at the outset of this article. * Concepts. New operational concepts seek to create synergies between the aerospace, ground, and maritime forces. The development of the blitzkrieg doctrine of rapid mechanized warfare supported by close air support is the oft-cited prime example of new operational concept. * Capabilities. In limited sense, new capabilities derive from new technologies. Clearly, technology plays pivotal role in military transformation. The arrival of the tank and FM radio transformed the battlefield (which in turn enabled the development of the transformational blitzkrieg concept), and nuclear weapons completely changed the face of warfare. Today, advances in precision strike weapons and information technology have enabled the military to do things never before contemplated. Indeed, the destruction of regime no longer requires the destruction of society. Technology plays key role in many of the service transformation visions, from the Air Force's super-stealthy F-22 fighter to the Army's future combat system and the Navy's effort to transform ballistic-missile submarines into land-attack platforms. * People. One aspect of transformation is learning to use the complex technologies properly. It is not enough to present new technology and simply instruct service members in the technical operation of the new systems. Blending the skill and experience of high-quality people with functional technology is what produces gain in combat capability, and the continual process of assessing, recruiting, and retaining those people will require transformation in the way the Defense Department approaches personnel challenges. …

Secure Fiberoptic Communications

At the heart of our current information explosion is the communication network. Networks are now an intrinsic part of our daily activities, whether they are for Internet business transactions or military communications in Future Combat Systems. Protection of this communication infrastructure is a must. In this article, we discuss two approaches for securing all-optical networks. The first is an optical encryption technique that denies the information to intruders. The second is an authentication scheme capable of detecting and identifying unauthorized users.

Secure Fiberoptic Communications

At the heart of our current information explosion is the communication network. Networks are now an intrinsic part of our daily activities, whether they are for Internet business transactions or military communications in Future Combat Systems. Protection of this communication infrastructure is a must.In this article, we discuss two approaches for securing all-optical networks. The first is an optical encryption technique that denies the information to intruders. The second is an authentication scheme capable of detecting and identifying unauthorized users.

Surface characterization of energetic materials using point-to-point contact FTIR-ATR

Surface characterization of energetic materials and their components has been a useful tool for resolving many research and quality control issues. An important application for gun propulsion is the understanding of plasma-propellant interactions (PPIs) in order to exploit plasma ignition, which offers the potential for rapid, controlled ignition of high-energy density charges. Toward this end, surface characterization using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy has been performed on propellants exposed to plasma in extinguished closed-bomb and open-air plasma experiments. These experiments are being performed to elucidate the properties of plasmas that enhance energy transfer and ignition, ultimately with the goal of designing an electrothermal-chemical (ETC) igniter-propellant charge for the next-generation weapon for the Future Combat System. However, analytical techniques capable of low detection limits for propellant degradation products are needed for characterizing the nature (e.g., radiation, convective heat transfer, hot particle flow, etc.) and distribution (in a packed bed or charge to ensure uniform and repeatable ignition) of plasma interaction with the propellant. Knowledge of such phenomena is valuable for validating simulations of plasma dynamics and optimizing igniter design. Reflectance spectroscopy has been used previously in our laboratory in closed-bomb studies to characterize the morphology and chemical composition of the grains from extinguished closed-bomb and open-air plasma experiments, but degradation products had proved difficult to detect. Recently, the same samples were reanalyzed using point-to-point contact attenuated total reflectance (PPC-ATR) in order to improve diagnostics for plasma-propellant interaction. Commercially available attachments have been designed to exert greater pressure on the sample for greater contact with the ATR crystal, improving sensitivity. With PPC-ATR, it was possible not only to detect but to identify the components of JA2 most likely associated with plasma degradation. Decomposition products were limited to less than a millimeter into the sample, involved secondary carbon denitration, and apparently did not migrate, strongly suggesting that plasma-propellant interaction involved denitration of nitrocelluose (NC). A chemical species with infrared absorption at /spl sim/1570 cm/sup -1/ is apparently specific to plasma ignition (i.e., not observed with conventional ignition) and could serve as a marker compound for the extent of plasma interaction in charges with ETC igniters.

Using Communication Data to Assess Organizational and System Effectiveness in Future Combat Systems

The interconnected nature of the Army's Future Combat System provides an opportunity to use communication analysis as a viable evaluation method of both organizational efficiency and system design. In the current investigation, communications during teamin-the-loop experimentation were collected and analyzed for both content and flow patterns. Results suggest that players did not fully utilize the functionality of a common operating picture (COP) and new technology insertion did not achieve the desired effect within the organization. Requests for information and updates were frequently related to information that could have been found on the COP. The communication patterns suggested that the experimental organization was very much hierarchical, with little horizontal communications. That is, despite the influx of new systems, traditional operations were employed. In this study, communication data were successfully employed to assess operational effectiveness and the quality of system design.

Titanium armor applications in combat vehicles

Titanium armor is being incorporated into the design of existing and future U.S. Army combat vehicles because it offers the best method of reducing vehicle weight and thus improving performance. Titanium’s excellent specific mechanical and ballistic properties, as well as ease of fabrication, will likely make it a part of the U.S. Army’s future combat system. How large a part it will be will depend on an overall cost/performance optimization.

Recoil considerations for railguns

The firing of any gun, electromagnetic or otherwise, imparts substantial momentum to the launcher, and ultimately the weapon platform. The objectives of the future combat system program call for similar lethality to a current heavy tank on an extremely lightweight vehicle of nominally twenty tons. Prior experience with the M551 Sheridan, a light tank first put into production by the United States in 1966, raises concern that firing large caliber armaments from light vehicles may result in unacceptable crew discomfort and vehicular reaction during recoil. It is the purpose of this paper to provide a future combat system armament integration perspective for railgun recoil.

Advanced semiconductor switches for EM launchers

Electric launchers may be energized by switching pulses of variable magnitude and time from a pulsed alternator or a pulse forming network. In order to achieve the desired muzzle energy, the switches must withstand the action of the current pulse: the square of current integrated over time. High pressure spark gap switches and vacuum switches of various architectures have been utilized in most of the launcher development programs. Advances in semiconductor technology hold a promise of replacing these large and bulky switches with solid state switches which may become leading candidates for future combat systems applications. The US Army Research Laboratory has been testing and evaluating solid state switches of various types for several different applications. One type of semiconductor switch that was tested and evaluated is a thyristor that is 125 mm in diameter made by Silicon Power Corporation (SPCO). When a thyristor with this large diameter is turned on, it is necessary to develop and spread plasma uniformly and quickly across the wafer. This ensures that the current from the anode to the cathode is uniformly distributed, and not concentrated in local hot spots where an excessive current density could cause overheating and damage. This plasma spread can be controlled by the design of the gate structure and the triggering technique. Thyristors with different gate structures were tested and compared. The experimental findings of the turn-on characteristics and the maximum current capabilities for each design are presented. The status of futuristic wide band gap semiconductor switch technology is also reviewed.

Performance Metrics for Composite Integral Armor

Future combat systems necessarily focus on lightweight, highly mobile and transportable armored vehicles. Lightweight composite integral armor systems are being developed to meet these needs. The goal of this paper is to centrally document the myriad design requirements for composite integral armors that serve multifunctional roles including ballistic, structural, shock, electromagnetic, and fire protection. Structural and ballistic performance requirements as well as manufacturing and life-cycle performance issues of integral armor are presented. Specific areas addressed include high-strain-rate testing and modeling, ballistic testing and modeling, low-cycle fatigue, damage tolerance, repair, reduced-step processing, through-thickness reinforcement, energy dissipation and rate-dependent failure mechanisms, and non-linear mechanics.

Influence of combat vehicle system constraints on EML technology development

This paper presents a portion of an analysis to determine what performance levels EML (electromagnetic launcher) subsystems must achieve to enable EM armament in future weapons systems. In particular, this paper presents the sensitivity of EML viability to (1) the power per unit volume of a pulsed power supply, (2) the efficiency of that power supply, (3) the launch event efficiency, (4) the number of rounds stowed, and (5) the maximum projectile energy attainable. The result is a definition of the minimum performance levels useful for the tactical application considered. Development of alternatives that do not recognize these high system level requirements will not lead to tactical advantages compared to conventional systems. This analysis indicates that EML technology can provide a viable armament alternative for future armored land combat systems requiring high energy projectiles and high on-board projectile count. In order to achieve that goal pulsed power supplies must realize 8000 kW/m/sup 3/ with efficiency exceeding 60%. In addition, the pulsed power must support a system including launch efficiency exceeding 70% for large caliber or 55% for medium caliber armament.

A User-Centered Approach to the Design of a Naval Tactical Workstation Interface

The 21st century Navy combatant ship will experience exponential increases in shipboard information to be processed, disseminated and integrated. High Definition System (HDS) technology will provide for the convergence of text, graphics, digital video, imagery, and complex computing to allow for a new range of advanced capabilities that exceed those of currently available workstations. These capabilities could result in unmanageable and overwhelming cognitive workloads for Navy tactical operators in CIC (Combat Information Center). For this reason, a prototype user interface was designed using future combat system requirements, proposed HDS capabilities, and human-computer interface design standards and principles. Usability testing of the protoype user interface was conducted as part of an effort to identify integrated information management technologies which reduce operator workload, increase human performance, and improve combat system effectiveness. This demonstration will focus on explanation and demonstration of future concepts envisioned for the AEGIS operational environment; organization and functionality of the menu structures and window contents; the usability testing methods utilized; results from usability testing; and plans for utilization of the prototype shell in other operational environments.

Combat System Engineering: A Return to Fundamentals

ABSTRACTThe Navy's focus has shifted from global war scenarios to preparedness for the prospect of involvement in regional, littoral contingencies and conflicts. Operationally, shipboard personnel will need the ability to shift focus from the combat system multimission roles to that of only a single mission. From a development perspective, combat systems must accommodate a continual infusion of technology in a budget constrained environment. Combat system architecture is the single most important feature affecting combat system flexibility, from both an operational and developmental aspect.There is a fundamental partitioning of combat system functions into detect, command, and engage in a horizontal integration approach that enhances this needed flexibility. This fundamental partitioning is currently applied to individual weapon systems, but not to combat systems as a whole. Instead, self‐contained weapon systems are often developed and then vertically integrated to form a combat system, causing reduced flexibility.The battle organization is the principal driving requirement for combat system architecture. This paper shows that the battle organization is best supported by a horizontally integrated combat system of detect, command, and engage. It concludes that a horizontally integrated combat system architecture of detect, command, and engage should be a candidate for future combat systems.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NAVAL ENGINEERS: THE “JIMMIE” HAMILTON AWARD FOR 1990

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NAVAL ENGINEERS: THE “JIMMIE” HAMILTON AWARD FOR 1990