Southwest Research Institute 1996 Annual Report

Institute programs in advanced computer and electronics technology encompass a broad range of analysis, engineering, and integration services for military and industrial clients. Areas of expertise include aerospace electronics, interactive courseware and training systems development, advanced modeling and simulation, custom software engineering, communications engineering, automation, and manufacturing processes.

A second Institute innovation to receive an R&D 100 award for 1996 is the Weather Environment Simulation Technology (WEST) system. Institute analysts designed WEST software to create compelling views of weather phenomena from meteorological data. WEST improves television broadcast weather graphics and increases the effectiveness of flight simulators and military training systems by providing real-time, 30 frame-per-second video imagery, rendering a viewpoint-independent flight path so any viewing situation is possible, and creating photo-realistic views of hurricanes, thunderstorms, windshear, and other weather phenomena.

Once destined for retirement, the A-10 aircraft is evolving into an integrated weapon system with a service life projected through the year 2028. Though it is the lowest cost-per-flying-hour combat aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, maintenance expenses are a major portion of that cost. For the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, the Institute is investigating reliability and maintainability problems associated with certain A-10 subsystems such as the digital flight controls, targeting system, and autopilot. To help improve the reliability of these systems, SwRI will design possible solutions and develop proof-of-concept prototypes of selected solutions.

Mistaken identity, disorientation, and other situational awareness problems can result in serious errors during combat. Designing more realistic and effective training programs to reduce these problems is a major program area at the Institute. In a project for the USAF Air Education Training Command, SwRI is developing the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Modeling and Simulation Training program for weapons directors on E-3A AWACS aircraft. Students will be introduced to basic combat principles, procedures, and tactics through the graphical presentation of displays and controls simulating an AWACS console. Advanced computer visualization technologies will help students form accurate mental models of actual mission operations.

As part of a team led by Alliant Techsystems, Inc., the Institute will participate in development of the Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. The TUAV is a small, low-cost reconnaissance aircraft destined to become part of a family of UAVs used by the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps to perform dangerous missions previously assigned to manned aircraft. Under a $53 million Advanced Concept Demonstration Program for the Joint Program Office, 24 TUAVs will be built. The Institute will provide avionics, sensors, and autopilots.

Under contract to the U.S. Marine Corps Modeling and Simulation Office and the U.S. Navy Training Systems Division, the Institute is developing the Team Tactical Engagement Simulator (TTES) to train infantry personnel in decision-making skills for small units engaged in close combat. The simulator is an advanced virtual reality training device that supplements live fire exercises. Training is conducted in a realistic combat environment where students, armed with simulated weapons, encounter computer-generated hostile and neutral characters. Networks link the simulators into a distributed interactive simulation (DIS) environment, permitting real-time interaction among geographically dispersed training centers and actual systems such as radar installations.

The Institute maintains a number of on-base offices to support critical U.S. Air Force programs. Most recently, Institute engineers established an office at Tinker AFB to help the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center prepare to test and maintain avionics systems for the B-2 bomber. Institute experts in courseware development and computer-based instruction have maintained an office at Hill AFB since 1989 to support the Industrial and Logistics Training Division of Ogden Air Logistics Center. A contract was recently awarded to continue this training support for aircraft and missile system maintenance through the year 2000. An Institute office also exists at Robins AFB to provide engineering and software services to the electronic warfare, aircraft, and avionics divisions of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center.

Institute-developed software for the U.S. Army Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) extracts terrain and cultural features from CCTT visual databases and converts the information to a format that allows a geographical map to be viewed and plotted at different scales. Institute analysts have developed software that manipulates the map data to provide Defense Mapping Agency-style cartographic references at each map scale. The CCTT is a major training program for mechanized troops such as tank commanders.

Institute experts in aircraft navigation, guidance, and software development are monitoring the integration of a global positioning system on the KC-135 aircraft. This program, known as PACER CRAG, is one of the first Air Force initiatives to streamline acquisition by providing contractors with statements of objectives rather than specific work instructions. Working as a team with the government and prime contractor, SwRI is validating that performance objectives are met. This type of partnership promises to become a pattern for future cooperative government and industry programs.

Today's cellular telephone products undergo accelerated design and production cycles during which multiple technologies must be rapidly combined. Institute engineers recently designed radio frequency circuits and antennas for integration with the digital, mechanical, and power systems of a commercial client's dual mode cellular handset. High-volume production of the handset is planned for an international telecommunications initiative. The dual mode feature requires that the handset operate with normal cellular frequencies and protocols as well as through a satellite link using client-proprietary protocols.

Biological organisms and their by-products, including biofilms and shells, cause maintenance and performance problems for structures and machinery in contact with fresh or salt water. Inorganic fouling from scale formation on the interior surfaces of power plant steam condenser tubes, service water piping, and manufacturing process-liquid piping is also a widespread problem. Chemicals are sometimes added to remove scale, but this method has become expensive as a result of environmental regulations associated with the Clean Water Act. The Institute has designed and constructed a prototype device that generates rapid underwater electrical discharges to produce intense pressure waves that can strip scale from steam condenser tubes.

For the U.S. Air Force Information Warfare (IW) Center, the Institute is leading continued development of the Sensor Combat war game, which allows military commanders to experiment with various IW strategies and tactics and analyze the results. Information warfare is an integrated plan to disrupt an enemy's access to information through physical destruction, electronic warfare, tactical deception, operations security, psychological operations, and computer data destruction.

SwRI recently updated the Simulation Display and Analysis System (SIMDAS) for the Joint Command and Control Warfare Center. SIMDAS allows the assessment of potential adversaries' command and control warfare and IW capabilities. During hostile engagements, SIMDAS can be used to support target selection. The new version provides an improved mapping process, an improved ability to schedule and monitor the integrated execution of models on distributed computer systems, and an on-line help system based on the HyperText Markup Language, which allows review through standard world wide web browsers.

As part of an internal research project, the Institute is exploring the use of DIS for the realistic reproduction of scenarios used in IW analyses. The DIS protocol connects geographically dispersed simulations, manned simulators, and live activity, military or civilian, over a wide area network. The bandwidth and speed limitations of wide area networking have confined use of DIS to applications requiring low fidelity and/or limited interaction. To address this problem, Institute analysts designed a test in which two high fidelity models simulating aircraft and hostile missile systems interact over a network to demonstrate that bandwidth and speed limitations can be addressed while retaining scenario accuracy.

For the Air Force Information Warfare Center, the Institute is developing the Tactical Sensor Planner, a threat analysis system that models the vulnerability of aircraft to hostile air defenses, including radar, anti-aircraft artillery, and surface-to-air missiles. Results are presented graphically on two-dimensional terrain maps. The operator can review aircraft routes supplied by standard mission planning systems, indicate possible threats to the aircraft on those routes, and propose alternate routes or various forms of jamming to reduce threats.

The Institute provides engineering and technical assistance to small manufacturers in south central Texas through the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC). Now in its second year of operation, the Center helps manufacturers increase productivity and efficiency, improve product quality and manufacturing processes, and reduce operating costs and waste. Institute engineers assisted more than 130 companies in the first year of the program. TMAC is an initiative of the Texas Department of Commerce and an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is an expanding program area at SwRI. Support to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has grown from providing design review and consultation services to the design, development, and deployment of an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) in San Antonio called TransGuide. Institute computer scientists recommend and implement measures to maintain TransGuide's position at the forefront of ITS technology. These activities include expansion of the TransGuide system to a distributed workstation-based architecture. The Institute has also developed an Advanced Traveler Information System to disseminate near real-time traffic information from TransGuide to the surrounding community via a low power television UHF signal.

A major ATMS component is the map that provides a graphical representation of current highway conditions. Most ATMS maps are based on line drawing representations, a labor-intensive approach that lacks automatic methods of associating field equipment with highway segments. In response to this problem, SwRI has developed a technique to electronically create an intelligent map for ATMS applications. Map display attributes are changed automatically to present a visual representation of traffic pattern changes. Prototype software demonstrating the new technique has been evaluated and approved by TxDOT, and SwRI is integrating the new map capability into the TransGuide system.

Copyright© 1996 by Southwest Research Institute. All rights reserved under U.S. Copyright Law and International Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

Advanced Computer and Electronic Technology, Intelligent Systems, and Automation