Delivering NEC Through the Application of Information Fusion and Multi-Agent Systems

The contribution of the military communications network is a critical success factor in a network enabled capability (NEC) centric world. These networks (or network of networks) will carry everything from positional update data from frontline units, to logistic requests, to point-to-point routed voice truffle, and everything in between. Success will depend on timely fusion of data and information that is not fusible on current systems, either because the data is carried on separate, incompatible, networks, or that the data is not available from current systems, to provide decision support at all levels of command throughout a mission. This paper explains how selected problems associated with current military radio communications networks could be addressed in future networks. We propose techniques using multi-agent systems (employing data and information fusion techniques) and illustrate benefits to the military customer within the context of deploying solutions providing NEC