Tactical METOC Applications

Abstract

The Tactical Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) Applications Project provides cyber secure operational effects decision aid capabilities for Navy and Marine Corps warfighters in the context of Joint Operations in a net-centric environment. This project funds the agile software development of the Naval Integrated Tactical Environmental System Next Generation (NITES-Next) program of record. NITES-Next program identifies and transitions state-of-the-art decision support software technologies from the governments and commercial iIndustry's technology base, and then demonstrates and validates these capabilities before fielding. These software decision support tools provide platform, sensor, communications, and weapon systems performance assessments for warfighters in terms of their littoral and deep-strike battlespace environments. These assessments allow mission planners and warfighters, from Unit to Theater level, to optimize their sensor employment on airborne, surface, and subsurface platforms in support of Naval Composite Warfare mission areas including Undersea Warfare (USW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Warfare (MIW), Amphibious Warfare (AMW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Strike Warfare (STW), Expeditionary Warfare (EXW), Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Operations (IO), Intelligence Operations (INT), Non-Combat Operations (NCO), Command, Control, Communication (CCC), and Naval Special Warfare (NSW). Performance assessments leading to improvements in operational and tactical control are conducted through a two-tiered approach: 1) METOC Decision Aids (MDAs) and, 2) Operational Effects Decision Aids (OEDAs). MDAs consist of a series of analysis tools which characterize the physical environment conditions of the battlespace based on the best set of physical environment data available at the time (i.e., some combination of historical and/or real-time (or near real-time) in-situ, and numerically modeled forecast data). OEDAs then use the MDA information by fusing it with relevant, often-classified, sensor and target data to predict how weapons and sensor systems will perform. Performance results are displayed in tabular and graphic formats integrated into net-centric visualization tools for use by mission planners, and combat/weapon system operators to develop localization plans, USW/AAW/ASUW screens, STW profiles, AMW ingress and egress points, and for other warfare considerations. MDAs and OEDAs typically use data derived from sensors developed in Project 2341 (METOC Data Acquisition) and assimilated by software produced by Project 2342 (METOC Data Assimilation and Modeling). MDAs and OEDAs also use data obtained through direct interfaces to Navy combat systems. A current emphasis area of the project is cyber secure capabilities required to characterize and/or predict sensor and weapons system performance in the highly complex littoral environments in support of regional conflict scenarios. It addresses multi-warfare areas, particularly shallow water ASW, NSW, and missile and air defense/strike capabilities. FY 2017 request provides for NITES-Next to finalize the acquisition documentation, award a task order, begin the development efforts and plan for test events for Fleet Capability Release (FCR-3). NITES-Next will begin planning the initial FCR-4 development efforts and contract actions.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
• Source ID: 2343_0603207N_4_1319_PB_2017

Tags

Readers

• Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics