Holonic Control-Based Sensor Management

This paper discusses the application of holonic control paradigm to sensor management in military surveillance operations. Sensor management is described both as part of the data fusion process and as a control problem. The choice of holonic control as the most adequate architecture for sensor management in the military environment is explained and its application to surveillance operations illustrated. Holonic control is then simulated using a littoral surveillance scenario to test sensor management with and without feedback from high-level fusion (closed-loop versus open-loop). The results show that closed-loop sensor management significantly enhances global surveillance performance, reduces detection time of threatening objects, and reduces platforms' load, thus increasing stealth and decreasing detectability.