DPLAN

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dPLAN is a Decision-Theoretic Planning System for Air Operations.
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Overview

dPLAN is a Decision-Theoretic Planning System for Air Operations.

Need

The need for dynamic re-planning during a plan execution in response to environmental changes, aircraft status, and mission updates is well established. For instance, the Navy’s Intelligent Control and Autonomous Re-planning of Unmanned Systems (ICARUS) detects and responds to unexpected events that require new plan generation formulating dynamic responses to the operational context at the lowest (closest to the vehicle system) level possible. The SPAWAR Real-time Execution Decision Support (REDS) program targets software tools that support air strike mission planning and dynamic re-planning for time-critical operations. AFRL Command and Control Overview notes that no plan survives the first contact, and lays out the need for a living plan that can be modified during execution. Joint AirSpace Management and Deconfliction (JASMAD) articulates the need for 4D observation of ATO/ACO execution that will enable mission planners to change routes and preview the impact on airspace management and automatically identify negative aspects of those proposed route changes.

Approach

dPlan Environment

dPLAN consists of 1) an Asset and Payload Scheduling component to schedule assets and payload by taking into account missions at hand and assessed situation and threat using constraint programming technology; 2) a Proactive Flight Planning component to perform route planning for a mission based on multiple way points and the current situation and threat; and 3) a Dynamic Plan Adaptation component to dynamically adjust routes during a mission based on real-time situation and threat assessment using Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) that implements a reward scheme where the most reward is obtained upon a successful strike.

Benefits

• Government:
  • More effective mission ROI under unscheduled events
  • More efficient mission re-planning
• Commercial:
  • Contingency operations

Applications

• Military: This effort addresses a fundamental requirement common all air operations, that is the need to effectively operate in a multidimensional operating environment involving multi-mission, multi-target, and multi-threat situations requiring the ability to dynamically re-plan missions and determine the most effective routes in flight. The solution to be developed can be applied to already existing frameworks and systems, such as JMPS and CMARS, and will be used by military planners and pilots to reduce cognitive demands and support decision making in the execution of ATOs.
• Civilian: Logistics operations.
• Competitive Advantages:

  • Unlike current solutions that focus on plan optimization, dPLAN focuses on monitoring the execution of a plan, determining the need for a re-plan, and determining the modifications to the existing plan.

References

High-level data fusion is the study of relationships and events if interest in a dynamic environment. learn more ...

• Robbin F. Laird, A 21st-century Concept of Air and Military Operations, Defense Horizons (March 2009): 1-2.
• Bill Roggio and Alexander Mayer, Charting the data for US airstrikes in Pakistan, 2004-2011,The Long War Journal, January 4, 2011.
• Das, S. High-Level Data Fusion, Artech House, 2008. book
• P. Drewes and J. Franke, Collaborative Unmanned Operations for Maritime Security, Proceedings of the Third Annual Maritime Systems and Technology Global Conference, Cadiz, Spain, November 12-14, 2008.
• N. Gizzi et al, Dynamic Decision Support for Time Critical Targeting, 11th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium (ICCRTS), San Diego, CA, 2006.