Future Combat Systems
Situation Understanding
(FCS)

The network will be the next evolution in warfare.

Situation Understanding — The ability to see what is happening in your AOR. The ability to see what the enemy intends. The ability to put your forces in the right place at the right time with the right response.

Knowledge is a force multiplier and we know that getting the right information to the right person at the right time is Situation Understanding. The software developed by TacOps will identify threats, aggregate battlefield objects, suggest sensor planning improvements and monitor the FCS force’s readiness to react to potential enemy threats. Relevant information is readily available in the form of a Common Operational Picture (COP). This COP will lead to faster, better synchronized battle plans and execution.

Overwatch Textron Systems has designed an open architecture approach to meet our customer’s demanding fusion requirements. Considerable effort has been expended in event analysis using real-world data fighting traditional and asymmetric threats. This work is oriented toward detecting patterns in the data including events that predict enemy actions allowing the warfighter to understand the situation and act first to influence the battle outcome.

DISTRIBUTED COP MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Network COMMS Bandwidth May Be
Inadequate to Share COP

• Adopt a common probability-based approach for assessing confidence and pedigree of results.
• Share all data and results as supported by available communications bandwidth using pedigree to avoid over-counting.

Use Publish/Subscribe to Distribute data Within the AOI

• FCS units within the AOI receive rapid updates of Battlespace Objects (BSO) while units outside of AOI, with la lesser interest, receive updates at a lower priority.

Sensor Pedigree

• Use of a sensor’s pedigree helps minimize the flow of tracks that don’t warrant being forwarded.

Confidence Level

• The confidence level associated with a BSO provides assurance to the user that the system has placed a high value on the BSO before distribution.

Fusion Occurs Dynamically Across Battlefield

• Distributed fusion occurs throughout the AOI.
• Only the BSOs of interest to the user, tailored to role and echelon, are passed to the user.

VISION — Under the FCS contract, TacOps is responsible for work in three different Battle Command packages; (1) Situation Understanding, (2) Supporting Planning and Preparation, and (3) Level 1 Fusion packages. The Army’s confidence that TacOps will solve the difficult fusion problem is supported by experience from previous success.