Publications

The emergence of robust, reliable robotic platforms equipped with advanced sensing and logging capabilities has resulted in the need for a reconsideration of both the tools and tactics for NATO MCM. This need encompasses not only the methods of employment, but also the metrics and data products which are available from these platforms. Traditional NATO MCM is based on a set of tactics and tools which define the standards for interoperability. Previous work has shown the inability for these algorithms and tactics to integrate modern systems and sensors, resulting in an inability to fully exploit of the capabilities of these systems in the context of NATO MCM. This report considers recent work performed at CMRE in collaboration with the NATO nations to advance interoperable planning and evaluation using through-the-sensor techniques for evaluation, advanced data products, and methods for performance prediction. This work includes the consideration of the metrics of mine warfare, the fidelity of these metrics, and advanced visualization techniques for MCM performance. As a result of experimentation, recommended enhancements for current experimental tactics are presented, as well as a method for predicting sensor performance in previously unseen environments. This ability to quantify performance in new environments is the primary requirement for effective mission planning at the tactical level. This work will also introduce a collaborative effort between the operational and scientific communities to develop interoperable planning and evaluation for NATO MCM. The goal of this work is to provide guidance on the tactics, algorithms, metrics and data products for future interoperable MCM.