0602784A Military Engineering Technology

Mission Description and Budget Item Justification: The applied research conducted in this program provides technology in direct support of critical warfighter functions of mobility, countermobility, survivability, sustainment engineering, and topography needed to win on the modern battlefield. Research is conducted that supports the special requirements for battlefield visualization, tactical decision aids, weather intelligence products, and capabilities to exploit space assets. Key operational technologies developed are demonstrated to Army units under program element 0603734A (Military Engineering Advanced Technology). Results are tailored to support the material development, test, and acquisition community in evaluating the impacts of weather, terrain, and atmospheric obscurants on military operations. Research develops and exploits a wide range of innovative technologies and applies them to Defense unique planning, acquisition, revitalization, and sustainment processes. The goal of this research is to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness as it relates to supporting the training/readiness/force projection missions in garrison and force sustainment missions in theaters of operation. The work in this program is consistent with the Army Science and Technology Master Plan (ASTMP), the Army Modernization Plan, and adheres to Defense Reliance Agreements on Civil Engineering and Battlespace Environments with oversight provided by the Joint Directors of Laboratories and Joint Engineers. These projects include non-system specific development efforts toward specific military needs and are therefore appropriate to Budget Activity 2.

	COST (In Thousands)	FY 1996 Actual	FY 1997 Estimate	FY 1998 Estimate	FY 1999 Estimate	FY 2000 Estimate	FY 2001 Estimate	FY 2002 Estimate	FY 2003 Estimate	Cost to Complete	Total Cost
A855	Topography, Image Intelligence, and Space Technology	7729	8377	8929	9719	9487	9837	10051	10373	Continuing	Continuing

A. Mission Description and Justification: This project funds the technology to enhance the tactical commander's ability to visualize the battlefield in an easily understandable, 3-D perspective and exploit his knowledge of combat relevant intelligence as a force multiplier to conduct and win Force XXI operations across the operational continuum. Using tactical/strategic/space sensor data, together with terrain data bases as input, the technology program emphasizes automating the processes of detecting changes on the battlefield, identifying battle significant features, exploiting space based/remote sensing information (especially for deep operations and over denied areas), and integrating the impacts of the battlefield environment to significantly improve combat planning and operations. Development efforts will enable the commander to locate and position enemy and friendly forces in day/night all-weather conditions, provide crucial terrain data for command and control systems (C2) as well as modeling and simulation systems, and enhance the speed and accuracy of maneuver and weapon systems. The technology being developed will help those who move, shoot, and communicate on the battlefield to "fight smarter" through superior knowledge of the total battlefield terrain and environment. Work in this project will develop an effective architecture to reuse standard digital mapping software for assuring that digital topographic data can be processed correctly and consistently to increase system interoperability in Army and/or joint operations. Weather/atmospheric effects data is provided by Army Research Laboratory Project AH71 in this PE. This work is managed by the US Army Topographic Engineering Center, Alexandria, VA.

FY 1996 Accomplishments:

	7729	- Developed a semi-automatic knowledge based feature extraction and attribution capability.
		- Developed an integrated virtual reality interface to the synthetic environment visualization system enabling soldiers to immerse in fog, haze, dust, clouds, smoke, flares, minefields, craters, and penetrable buildings.
		- Developed standardized basic software tools for data import, export, formatting and display, and populate Army Software Reuse library to increase system interoperability in Army/joint operations.
		- Developed and implemented capabilities of identification of man-made materials from hyperspectral data and signature data bases.
Total	7729

FY 1997 Planned Program:

	8377	- Develop a DoD standard coordinate conversion and datum transformation software package.
		- Develop rapid, dynamic, 3-D battlefield environment/terrain visualization capabilities in a virtual reality environment for tactical and training applications.
		- Develop distributed interactive simulation (DIS) browser supporting dynamic changes during simulation.
		- Develop software and techniques for the identification of man-made materials using far infrared, hyperspectral data.
Total	8377

FY 1998 Planned Program:

	8929	- Develop initial capability for automated feature attribution based on multispectral imagery data.
		- Link 3-D model and texture library to database generation capability.
		- Develop parametric modeling capability for battlefield terrain simulation.
		- Develop procedures for ensuring that mapping, charting, and geodesy (MC&G) software adheres to the Defense Information Infrastructure.
		- Develop new methods for portraying terrain analysis product reliability.
Total	8929

FY 1999 Planned Program:

	9719	- Develop automated feature extraction techniques and software.
		- Integrate dynamic terrain architecture and synthetic environment models into a DIS stealth module.
		- Develop standardized Army-wide MC&G software verification and validation procedures.
		- Combine spatial recognition software and techniques with hyperspectral recognition software and techniques in a single testbed.
Total	9719

B. Project Change Summary	FY 1996	FY 1997	FY 1998	FY 1999
FY 1997 President's Budget	7922	8556	8915	9700
Appropriated Value	8142	8377
Adjustments to Appropriated Value	-413
FY 1998 Pres Bud Request	7729	8377	8929	9719

	COST (In Thousands)	FY 1996 Actual	FY 1997 Estimate	FY 1998 Estimate	FY 1999 Estimate	FY 2000 Estimate	FY 2001 Estimate	FY 2002 Estimate	FY 2003 Estimate	Cost to Complete	Total Cost
AH71	Atmospheric Investigations	5214	6551	5872	6135	6142	6406	6689	6885	Continuing	Continuing

A. Mission Description and Justification: This project realistically models atmospheric effects on target acquisition, mobility, lethality, and survivability to provide weather limitations for design and operation of smart weapons, improved war game realism and tactics and improved intelligence preparation of the battlefield. It develops weather decision aids for the commander applying advanced computer techniques; incorporates new technology in meteorological sensor design; develops data fusion techniques to horizontally integrate data from advanced weather sensors and non-weather sensors into decision aids to enhance combat power on the battlefield. This project supports Project Reliance theater data fusion and prediction, atmospheric effects assessment, and battlefield environmental effects joint programs. The work is managed by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Battlefield Environment Directorate, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

FY 1996 Accomplishments:

	3370	- Developed the capability for the Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid (IWEDA) to use Battlespace Forecast Model field output, and to operate on Army common hardware.
		- Exploited tactical geosynchronous meteorological satellite receiver technology to improve temporal resolution of battlefield/target area weather data.
		- Developed prototype mobile profiling system (MPS) to be more deployable; improved MPS satellite profiles; and performed cost benefit analysis of mesoscale model for artillery accuracy.
	1844	- Developed user interface for 2-dimensional limited complex terrain acoustic propagation model and integrated into real-time system architecture.
		- Integrated realistic hazard predictions from chemical-biological agent into war game models and visualization environment.
Total	5214

FY 1997 Planned Program:

	4425	- Complete the horizontal and seamless integration of the Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid (IWEDA) into battlefield automated systems (BASs).
		- Develop an initial capability to forecast precipitation over the battlefield at tactical scales and add 4-D data assimilation and meteorological satellite initialization capability to the Battlescale Forecast Model.
		- Develop a prototype 4-D computer assisted artillery meteorology software system which provides trajectory and target area meteorology for close and deep attack systems; and develop a proof-of-concept downsized mobile profiling system.
	2066	- Develop user interface for 2-dimensional limited complex terrain acoustic propagation model.
		- Adapt direct numerical simulations for operational chemical/biological hazard modeling.
		- Enhance real-time scene visualization data transformation and rendering algorithms to support the integration of battlefield environment data in situation awareness displays.

FY 1997 Planned Program: (continued)

	60	- Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Programs.
Total	6551

FY 1998 Planned Program:

	3304	- Extend the battlescale forecast model (BFM) forecast period to 48 hours and increase forecast accuracy by initializing with higher resolution Air Force or Navy model data.
		- Develop the capability for the All Source Analysis System, the Digital Topographic Support System, the Advanced Mobile Profiling System, and the Maneuver Control System to concurrently retrieve and incorporate weather information in Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield, trafficability, aviation, and nuclear/biological/chemical applications.
		- Incorporate additional friendly and threat systems into the IWEDA data base.
		- Convert the Electro-Optical Tactical Decision Aids including weapon zones, target acquisition ranges, and thermal reversal to distributed client/server applications.
	2568	- Demonstrate the accuracy achieved by moving the battlescale forecast model (BFM) from the meteorology measuring set to indirect fire control computers and using the BFM to correct for met effects over the entire trajectory path of a projectile.
		- Develop a decision aid for displaying sound levels as a function of range and direction in the 2-dimensional turbulent boundary layer over flat terrain.
		- Examine and devise computationally efficient algorithms for dynamic weather data transformations for parallel and scaleable processing architectures with the dynamic terrain data transformations developed in this PE under Project A855.
Total	5872

FY 1999 Planned Program:

	3436	- Evaluate converting the BFM to a nonhydrostatic model to improve predictions of severe weather.
		- Enhance forecaster decision aids with improved algorithms for predicting icing, turbulence, visibility, low cloud, and precipitation.
		- Transition an acoustic detection tactical decision aid using the BFM output to enable troops to determine the optimum placement of acoustic sensors for threat detection and optimum avenues of attack based on acoustic emissions and atmospheric conditions.
		- Incorporate an improved BFM for forecast representations in combat simulation and training including clouds, fog, severe weather, and improved battlefield aerosol diffusion at tactical scales.
	1595	- Conduct evaluation of the system for target area and trajectory meteorology for close and deep attack systems and implement changes as needed; begin insertion of software upgrades such as improved satellite sounding retrievals.
	1104	- Develop a user interface for 2-dimensional limited complex terrain/acoustic propagation model.

FY 1999 Planned Program: (continued)

		- Use transient turbulence theory to develop a high resolution, complex terrain transport and diffusion model which will permit simultaneous calculation of meteorology and hazards prediction with significantly reduced computation time through eliminating the stepwise procedure of traditional approaches.
		- Investigate visualization techniques for fusing multiple information sources into a unified visualization of weather with the rapid, dynamic, 3-D battlefield environment/terrain visualization capabilities being developed in this PE under Project A855.
Total	6135

B. Project Change Summary	FY 1996	FY 1997	FY 1998	FY 1999
FY 1997 President's Budget	5270	6691	5865	6125
Appropriated Value	5416	6551
Adjustments to Appropriated Value	-202
FY 1998 Pres Bud Request	5214	6551	5872	6135

	COST (In Thousands)	FY 1996 Actual	FY 1997 Estimate	FY 1998 Estimate	FY 1999 Estimate	FY 2000 Estimate	FY 2001 Estimate	FY 2002 Estimate	FY 2003 Estimate	Cost to Complete	Total Cost
AT40	Mobility & Weapons Effects Technology	10326	11140	12157	13751	13731	14230	14532	14850	Continuing	Continuing

A. Mission Description and Justification: This project will provide warfighters the technologies for: rapid establishment and repair of lines of communications by both light and heavy engineers in support of US force deployment; optimal obstacle siting based on accurate predictions of enemy movement and the synergistic effects between obstacles and weapons systems; rapid obstacle and barrier creation; accurate assessments of battlefield mobility for maneuver commanders (and materiel developers during virtual prototyping); methodologies to predict coastal effects on logistics-over-the-shore (LOTS) operations; camouflage, concealment, and deception for fixed facilities to deny accurate acquisition and engagement by threat weapon systems; and designs, materials, and construction methods for battlefield, fixed, and forward base survivability against advanced conventional weapons and terrorist weapons. Civil engineering science and technology (S&T) in this project directly supports the Army's DoD Project Reliance S&T responsibilities in airfields and pavements, survivability and protective structures, and sustainment engineering. The work is managed by the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi.