Results from Real Time Simulation Experiment of an Integrated Concept for UAV/Direct Fire Weapon Systems

During the last several years, there have been a large number of design studies, system simulations, and battlelab experiments that have sought to improve the integration of UAV-based sensor systems with "shooters" by providing real time intelligence data to C4ISR C2 Centers. These initiatives have contributed significantly to the improvement of the state of the practice of integrating UAV-based sensor systems with a variety of indirect weapons such as artillery, rockets, Army aviation, and Air Force Close Air Support systems. Intelligence and targeting information for these indirect fire weapon systems has been necessarily connected to "shooters" via C4ISR C2 centers, because of the complex fire coordination required prior to target engagement. While indirect fire systems are a critical element of the modern field army, they represent only a portion of the combat power of a combined arms team available to armored/mechanized forces. The direct fire weapon systems of the Army's armored forces (cannon and missile) provide the Army with an additional and extremely potent capability to destroy threat forces. Historically, these direct fire weapon systems have relied on, and to some degree have been limited to, on-board sensor systems (Commander's binoculars, gunner's sight system, and thermal imaging systems) for real time targeting and situation awareness. To assess the payoff of providing sensor data from platforms external to the individual weapon system, MITRE, in support of the Army PM Combat Identification has developed a simulated environment for the evaluation of advanced sensor concepts. These advanced concepts seek to integrate situation awareness data with point of engagement information for tank crews. In support of this task, MITRE recently completed a man-in-the-loop study that examined the operational utility of providing a tank crew with data from a multisensor (MTI radar, cooperative friendly ID, and FLIR based ATR) UAV system to assist in maneuver and target prioritization. The paper will present the results of the study and its implications for near-real time exploitation of tactical UAV sensors in direct fire engagements.