An Expose of Autonomous Agents in Command and Control Planning

Abstract

Autonomous agents are a value-added technology to facilitate integrating logistics into the in-theater maneuver planning processes. Conventionally, logistics impacts that can affect the successful prosecution of a maneuver plan are only analyzed or discovered after the maneuver course of action (COA) has been finalized. Logistic oversights, assumptions, or faulty assessments can lead to an unsupportable maneuver plan that must be re-planned or thrown away; a situation that may require unafforded time. We implemented autonomous agents to provide a near-real-time, logistics feedback loop to augment the on-going, dynamic battle planning processes. As the battle plan is progressing, a logistics plan, too, is being formulated whereby logistic assets are being tasked to support the tentative maneuver plan, dynamically. This logistics plan that maps to the current battle plan is the mechanism whereby resource management and allocation impacts are discovered and, thus, can alert the command and control (C2) planners of logistics issues. The coupling of logistics and C2 planning saves time, effort, and better utilizes resources and personnel. But, the major benefit is the adaptation of this model when applied to the execution-monitoring and real-time prosecution of a maneuver plan using unfolding battlefield events as re-planning inputs to the current, executing plan.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA466145

Entities

People

  • Christopher M. Matthews

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Autonomous Agents
  • Command And Control
  • Commerce
  • Computer Programming
  • Force Structure
  • Grammars
  • Graphical User Interface
  • Infrastructure
  • Java Programming Language
  • Logistics
  • Logistics Planning
  • Maintenance
  • Military Organizations
  • Nomenclature
  • Prototypes
  • Software Development
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

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