Browse Publications
2006 Reports
Note: Unless linked to the full text, reports are only available to NATO member nations from designated distribution centres.
Simultaneous inversion of propagation and reverberation data. NURC-FR-2006-023. December 2006.
This report describes progress in a methodology to in situ extract bottom geoacoustic and scattering properties for integration in advanced low-frequency environmentally adaptive sonar systems. The environmental characterization technique is based on inversion of short-range acoustic propagation and long- range reverberation data acquired on the sonar system itself. The documented results show significant improvement in reliability of the extracted bottom properties by inverting propagation and reverberation data simultaneously. Further, there is good agreement between the inversion results and alternative measure- ments of "ground truth" bottom characteristics acquired during sea trials.
Advances in the multistatic tactical planning aid. NURC-FR-2006-022. December 2006.
This report describes the progress made to date on modelling multistatic ASW operations for tactics development focusing specifically on the multistatic acoustic system. The main result of the work described here is the production of the core modules for a tool to analyse multistatic sonar employments. These modules consist of a low frequency active multistatic sonar performance model for target detections, a tracker-fusion module for tracking detections, a simulation of realistic false contacts, a communications network module for the sharing of information between the assets and an embryonic model of an ASW operator in the task of classifying target tracks. In addition a Monte-Carlo simulation module was produced for the systematic analysis of multistatic ASW operations and the structure for future development.
Benchmark and sea-trial performance of a nearest-neighbor multistatic sonar tracker.
NURC-FR-2006-018. November 2006.
The high data rate associated with a multistatic operation places added importance
on data fusion and target tracking technology. A multi-laboratory initiative, the
Multistatic Tracking Working Group (MSTWG), has as its objective to evaluate
multistatic sonar and radar trackers; our initial benchmarking results for a baseline
(nearest neighbor) tracker are reported here. In addition, we provide sea-trial based
performance results for this tracker, for the monostatic Bacchus’98 and Base’02 sea
trials. We find that, even with a low complexity tracker, significant performance
gains are achieved by including tracking technology as part of an active sonar signal
and information processing chain.
Performance of a distributed multistatic surveillance network during the DEMUS’04 sea trial
NURC-FR-2006-015. November 2006.
The NATO Undersea Research Center has been evaluating the multistatic sonar
concept for the past several years. In the late 1990s, the Centre tested and evaluated
the Deployable Undersea Surveillance System (DUSS), which was based on Barra
buoy receiver arrays. The potential for such a multistatic concept was demonstrated
and the procurement of a more capable deployable multistatic system (DEMUS) was
initiated. In 2004, the first scientific data collection using the new Deployable Experimental
Multistatic Undersea Surveillance (DEMUS) System was accomplished. This report
describes the DEMUS system and summarizes its performance during the
DEMUS’04 sea trial. The collected data show the detection diversity obtained on
several sensors. Detection analysis and initial tracking results are shown. The
potential for such a fixed distributed system to utilize Doppler-sensitive waveforms
is also demonstrated.
Sonobuoy Placement for Optimal Multistatic Detection and Localization. NURC-FR-2006-020. October 2006.
This report studies optimal multistatic sensor placement strategies. Our sensor placement approach specifically reflects operational objectives, through the choice of the target trajectory set. In particular, the results illustrated in this report focus on the barrier (or port area protection) scenario. We focus on two multistatic surveillance networks of interest; the first (one source and three receivers) is motivated by the experimental multistatic system available at NURC (the DEMUS system), while the second (two source and two receivers) provides comparison with a network with the same number of sonobuoys. We study optimal placements in the FM-only case, the CW-only case, and the combined FM-CW case. Optimal placements are consistent with our intuition, thus validating our placement methodology and its use as a placement aid in more complex scenarios where intuition is challenged. The report leverages previous localization analysis and signal excess modelling conducted at NURC, for both FM and CW waveforms. Our key contributions here include the development of an information-based optimization metric, its evaluation over target-trajectory sets rather than over conventional grid-point sets, and a careful accounting for multistatic issues including direct blast blanking. In future work, we plan to compare actual tracking performance based on optimal sensor placements with performance based on sub-optimal placements.
The Ninth International Conference on Information Fusion (Fusion 2006) Final Conference Report. NURC-SP-2006-005. October 2006.
The 9th International Conference on Information Fusion (FUSION 2006) was held on 10-13 July 2006 in Florence, Italy. The FUSION conference series serves as the annual gathering and is the flagship event of the International Society of Information Fusion. The International Society of Information Fusion is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the knowledge, theory and applications of information fusion. Through its website, conferences, publications and member services, it is its goal to encourage the exchange of information among information fusion professionals worldwide. This document is the final conference report that, along with the transfer of conference funds to ISIF and IEEE, represents the main deliverable from the FUSION 2006 organizing committee. It includes an overview of the conference planning process, a discussion of key policy decisions, a complete listing of the conference program, committee members, special session organizers, session chairs, and conference attendees, a description of the related social events, the final budget, lessons learned, and recommendations to the ISIF Board of Directors. NURC provided high-visibility contributions to FUSION 2006: the General Co-chair, Technical Chair, Local Arrangements and Finance Chair, several members of the Technical Program Committee, numerous paper contributions, financial sponsorship, and publication of the CD-ROM proceeding.
Secure deployable communications setup for unattended sensors (Forward Eyes). NURC-FR-2006-019. September 2006.
The execution of the NURC Scientific Programme of Work has demonstrated the value to operational commands of near real time environmental data in support of amphibious landings. The Forward Eyes covert system, composed of a meteo station, a wave-current meter and a surveillance camera, has been developed on the basis of that experience and tested during the Loyal Midas 05 Military Exercise. This report discusses the communications architecture developed by NURC for the Forward Eyes camera system, and provides all configuration data necessary to replicate it using Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) devices. The IPSEC Virtual Private Network (VPN) concept presented in this document is applicable to mobile terminals and sensors that not only are connecting with dynamic (e.g. variable over time) IP addressing, but that are also “hidden” behind a gateway or firewall that performs network address translation or port address translation (NAT/PAT). This configuration applies therefore to a wide range of terminals with connectivity options that include dial-up, GPRS, or the Inmarsat Regional BGAN (RBGAN) service, to provide global communications coverage in support of operations conducted by NATO Expeditionary Forces.
ASTPA Wizard User Guide. NURC-SP-2006-007. September 2006.
The Area Search Tactical Planning Aid (ASTPA) is intended for use by the ASW commander and may be used to provide a quantitative performance assessment of a search platform’s ability to detect a target or to clear a given area. In addition to providing a quantitative performance assessment of a pre defined search plan the model is also able to generate optimized search plans. This includes the optimization of transmission policy for a pre-defined search track or complete optimization of track and transmission policy. The model simulates realistic target behaviour in terms of transiting, localising and avoiding tactics and displays the behaviour so as to increase the situational awareness of the search platform. ASTPA models the uncertainty in target position by simulating a large number of possible targets distributed over an area. The performance of a scenario is then derived from the proportion of these targets that have been detected. A consequence of this approach is that ASTPA also provides the ASW commander with a map of the probability of location of an undetected target as the search plan progresses. This information may be used to reposition additional units to a location with the greatest chance of detecting a target. The target behaviour model within ASTPA is designed to be user-configurable such that it may be updated as intelligence on threat submarine behaviour is refined. The following user guide details the generation and editing of scenarios within ASTP.
ASTPA User Guide. NURC-SP-2006-006. September 2006.
The Area Search Tactical Planning Aid (ASTPA) may be used to provide a quantitative assessment of a pre-defined search plan in terms of the ability of the search platforms to detect a target or to clear a given area. Alternatively the model may be used to generate optimized search plans for a given scenario. The model simulates realistic target behaviour in terms of transiting, localising and avoidance tactics and displays the behaviour so as to increase the situational awareness of the search platform. The following user guide details the generation and editing of scenarios within ASTPA.
NATO Undersea Research Centre Human Diver and Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation Rules and Procedures, Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation Project. NURC-SP-2006-008. September 2006.
The NATO Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation project has as its goals the development of risk mitigation protocols, computer tools, and in-water devices to provide risk mitigation before sonar or other noisy experiments and naval exercises so as to avoid negative impact on human divers and marine mammals. This document outlines the procedures and marine mammal risk mitigation protocols that are in use by NURC at this time. This is an updated, public release version of the NURC Staff Instruction 77 (SI-77). As new information becomes available from continued research by the Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation Project as well as other documented sources these procedures are re-evaluated and modified as appropriate.
Planning and evaluation of MCM missions using AUVs: mixing real and simulated data. NURC-FR-2006-017. September 2006.
This study was initiated by the NATO Undersea Research Centre in collaboration with SeeByte Ltd and Heriot-Watt University located in Edinburgh, Scotland. As AUVs equipped with sidescan sonars become more mature as an operational MCM tool, the ability to evaluate their capabilities and predict their performance becomes increasingly important. To date, tools developed for MCM assets have not successfully transposed to AUVs. There is therefore a gap between the predicted and observed operational performance of minehunting AUVs. This will become a critical issue as AUVs continue to be adopted as operational tools deployed by NATO nations. A 'system' based evaluation methodology has been proposed where a full system (vehicle + sonar + Automatic Target Recognition (ATR))is evaluated in various environments using real data. Existing AUV mounted sidescan sonars have very specific characteristics which are highly dependent on the environment, especially in shallow waters, and are therefore difficult to model. Initial results obtained on various REMUS missions have demonstrated the potential of the tool to assess AUV missions.
Present and future in-buoy processing for the DEMUS system. NURC-MR-2006-003. August 2006.
This report discusses the DEMUS project, its history and status in 2004, and outlines options for future improvement and development. It provides a review of the DEMUS system development, discusses the current hardware in the context of other ASW sensors and shows that the DEMUS buoys have a role to play in a multi-static multi-platform environment. The report also discusses the development issues to make the buoys more useful both as a research tool for the Centre and as a multi-static ASW sensor.
Analysis of Free Play serial conducted during Noble Marlin 05. NURC-MR-2006-001. August 2006.
The report documents the analysis of the free play serial conducted during exercise Noble Marlin 05. The aim of the analysis was to examine the target behaviour assumptions utilised by the Area Search Tactical Planning Aid (ASTPA). Of particular interest was the behaviour of the target following its counter-detection of active transmissions made by the search platforms. The serial was reconstructed within ASTPA such that the ASTPA target behaviour could be compared to the real target. Additionally ASTPA was run as if being used by the ASW commander to assess the performance of the search plan.
Defence Requirements Review 07, requirements for large AUVs in rapid MCM. NURC-MR-2006-002. August 2006.
This study presents the requirements for AUVs to conduct rapid MCM operations for the Defence Requirements Review (DRR) 07. The results are presented in table form and show the time required for one AUV to cover the channels as defined in the relevant planning situations.
A NATO tool for prediction of waves and longshore currents in the surf zone. NURC-FR-2006-014. July 2006.
A proto-type modelling framework has been developed for NATO which may be used to perform surf predictions in support of amphibious or special operations. The model concept involves a hybrid approach in which a spatially complete 2-D wave growth and transformation model (SWAN) is paired with a simple 1-D surf model (NSSM). This approach permits the more general application of basic surf models to environments in which they are not strictly valid. The framework provides a user friendly graphical user interface (GUI) which assists the user not only in developing model input files, running the models and displaying the results but also performs rudimentary data processing steps to facilitate these activities. The results indicate that the system developed provides reasonable predictions and that the hybrid modelling approach used can be also applied in some areas where the 1-D beach paradigm is not apparently valid.
Hybrid surf modelling: final report. NURC-FR-2006-016. July 2006.
Motivated by multiple requests for the development of a surf modelling capability within NATO, the NATO Undersea Research Centre created a research project in which one of the goals was to develop and test the framework for such a modelling capability. This report discusses the results of that portion of the surf modelling project. The guiding principle was that the modelling procedure framework developed must maximize its applicability and reliability while minimizing its complexity and computational requirements. The project vision was that the resulting product could be operated at sea by a properly trained METOC officer who had some access to global data bases.
Proceedings of the NURC Underwater Intruder Workshop. NURC-CP-2006-002. July 2006.
Projects in harbour protection are getting underway in several NATO nations. To augment the value for NATO of these efforts NURC has undertaken to coordinate a Joint Research Project (JRP), for information exchange, threat analysis, and concept development, as well as for collaborative development, testing, and evaluation of emerging technologies. NURC hosted an Underwater Intruder Workshop to bring prospective JRP partners together, to present work underway and planned in member-country programs and to identify common work elements for future collaboration. Twenty-seven participants from eight countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, United States) and NURC attended. These are the presentations and records of discussion from that workshop.
FESTA User Guide ß-Version 1.0. NURC-SP-2006-004. June 2006.
The detection and classification of low target strength mines, especially when these are buried or masked by vegetation, is a major challenge for the current MCM SONAR technology. Low frequency SONAR techniques, in the range below 50 kHz for typical mine-like objects, can add value to the current minehunting technology by improving the detection and classification capabilities. FESTA is the 3-D finite-element structural acoustics code developed at the NATO Undersea Research Centre for modeling the scattering of SONAR signals from elastic targets located in, on or near the seabed. The tool is based on state-of-the-art hierarchic finite element technology, which offers the flexibility of increasing the polynomial order and/or the element mesh density anisotropically along preferred directions in the computational domain. This report documents the features available to the user of FESTA -1.0 via definitions of the input stream file structure and syntax, and via simple examples. The setup of a more complex example, which reproduces some broadband target scattering computations presented in the literature, completes the tutorial.
Performance of centralized and distributed tyracking for multistatic ASW scenarios. NURC-FR-2006-001. June 2006.
Target tracking significantly improves the detection and localization performance of contact data; as such, it provides significant value added to the undersea surveillance processing chain. Centralized and distributed fusion architectures have complementary strengths: the former is best with high detection redundancy, high false alarm environments; the latter is best with low detection redundancy. Data fusion provides a robust surveillance picture that exceeds the performance of any given sensor in a field of like-performing sensors, and nearly matches the performance of the best-performing sensor when id performance dominates that of all other sensors. In all cases, simple track classification based on track duration, average speed, and heading stability provides additional performance gains.
Calibration of cardioid beamforming algorithms. NURC-FR-2006-003. May 2006.
Many nations are now using or considering cardioid towed arrays as their principle receive array in active low frequency sonar applications.A drawback of cardioid array beamforming is that it is not obvious how the obtained signal levels, after processing, relate to the hydrophone pressure level. Calibrated signal levels are important, for example, for the comparison of processed cardioid data with sonar model predictions or to measure the difference in performance between cardioid arrays and line arrays. In this report mathematical expressions are derived that allow, in the case of CW or LFM signals, calibration of the cardioid processed data. The validity of these expressions is demonstrated with simulated and real active sonar data.
MX3 Trial Report: Percentage Clearance Trials with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. NURC-FR-2006-007 / SR-445. May 2006.
This High Performance AUV (HPAUV) Experimentation Project was funded by the Allied Command Transformation (ACT) to assess the military value of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) AUVs for Defense Against Terrorism (DAT) and Mine Countermeasures (MCM). The MX3 Sea Trial was conducted in November 2005 in La Spezia to evaluate the detection and classification effectiveness of currently available and state-of-the-art AUVs in MCM applications. Twelve AUVs (6 different models) were operated in four different target areas. The experiment demonstrated the maturity of the various systems and clearly illustrated their utility in enhancing traditional MCM in expeditionary operations.
Surface drift prediction in the Adriatic Sea using hyper-ensemble statistics on atmospheric, ocean and wave models: uncertainties and probability distribution areas. NURC-FR-2006-012. May 2006.
An increasing number of current models routinely provide weather forecasts and climate predictions, offering multiple options on resolutions, range, domains and derived fields. NATO requirements include reliable tactical knowledge and forecasts of the sea surface components, where potential mine threats have to be mitigated or avoided and where search and rescue efforts have to be optimized. These issues become more challenging and relevant when considering support for Expeditionary Warfare (in remote areas with limited access) and countering naval asymmetric warfare (need for high accuracy and reliability). The surface drift is the resultant of many different direct and indirect contributions of the atmosphere, the ocean and the sea surface itself. However, the prediction of the surface drift resultant still remains a challenge when the different components have competing contributions, like in coastal or near-shore areas. One of the possible solutions to address these issues is to migrate from the traditional deterministic approaches towards probabilistic-stochastic methodologies. When multiple models and data become available, the envisaged probabilisticstochastic alternative is the multi-model super-ensemble technique which uses an optimized combination of an ensemble of models. This technique has previously been demonstrated to improve forecast skills in the atmospheric and is applied here to the prediction of surface drift in the Adriatic. The technique combines optimally an atmospheric, an ocean and a wave model and is shown to outperform traditional forecast methods.
Active detection performance sensitivity to target depth and aspect changes in a shallow water environment. NURC-FR-2006-006 / SR-433. April 2006.
The variations on the performance of LFAS systems in coastal areas due to target depth and aspect are examined. The analysis is based on real data acquired during the BASE ’02 sea trial conducted using NURC’s LFAS system and a conventional submarine as cooperative target. Three structured scenarios and one free play are considered. The structured cases include: a) single depth change, b) three moderate aspect changes due to zigzag manoeuvering associated with three target depth changes, one for each aspect, and c) multiple depth and aspect changes due to target manoeuvering in conjunction with abrupt source depth changes. The free play, with only depth constraints, demonstrated the challenges of detection in the littoral when target manoeuvering enjoys many degrees of freedom.
Algorithms for Decision Aid for Risk Evaluation (DARE) version 2.1. NURC-FR-2006-002. April 2006.
Decision Aid for Risk Evaluation (DARE) is a software tool for assessing the risk to transiting vessels after Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MCM) have taken place. The DARE software has been used in NATO Exercises since 1997. The software has been updated and improved to reflect the needs of the NATO navies. In order to estimate the risk to naval traffic, DARE uses information on the mines countered during MCM Operations, along with the "percentage clearance," or the probability estimate of having countered any given mine. DARE is a command level tool developed to provide an estimate of risk in the case where there may be several units working together and where the mine threat cannot be attributed to a single mine type. Another NATO software tool, MCM EXPERT, can be used to assist units in Planning and Evaluating tasks, and to provide the percentage clearances required by DARE. The NATO Undersea Research Centre has been responsible for the previous two versions of DARE. Version 2.0, released in May 2004, was entirely revised from the previous release (DARE98) and included a new Graphical User Interface, an updated algorithm, and an optimized calculation method which greatly increased the size of scenarios that could be calculated. DARE version 2.1 was released in December 2005. In addition to new software functionality, this version has additional algorithms which can be used to handle the case of multiple transitors. This document provides a comprehensive treatment of the algorithms used in DARE version 2.1.
Modern minehunting techniques and the MCM EXPERT software. NURC-FR-2006-011. April 2006.
Side-scan sonars are increasingly being used to perform detection and classification in minehunting operations. The current NATO Mine Countermeasures (MCM) software tool, MCM EXPERT, provides support for the planning and evaluation of minehunting operations, but was developed for MCM units having forward-looking sonar. The NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) has initiated a project to provide the capability to accurately plan and evaluate minehunting operations using side-scan sonars and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). As part of this project, a complete review of the MCM EXPERT algorithms was undertaken in order to evaluate their applicability to modern minehunting systems using AUVs and side-scan sonars. Based on a review of the current algorithms, the NURC have provided a set of interim recommendations for the use of MCM EXPERT with side-scan sonars. Certain pre-conditions, which have been documented in this report, must be met for MCM EXPERT to be used to plan and evaluate minehunting missions using side-scan sonars. In addition, limitations in the accuracy of the results obtained when using MCM EXPERT for side-scan sonar are stated.
Multipath pulse shapes with refraction. NURC-FR-2006-005. April 2006.
All long range sonars have to contend with the effects of multipath propagation. One effect is that an impulse from a remote source or a reflected impulse from a point-like target will be significantly broadened. For example, in isovelocity water it has already been shown that one expects the tail of the pulse to fall off linearly in dBs with a decay constant that depends only on the bottom reflection properties and does not depend on the range of the target. Furthermore if neither sonar nor target have significant vertical directionality then the pulse shape is independent of their properties too. This finding has important implications for the design of sonars since integration times need to be matched to the characteristic arrivals of a target in its environment. The benefit of analytical solutions is that behaviour becomes immediately clear without having to cover an ndimensional parameter space. In addition one can make generalisations which would otherwise be impossible. This report extends the work to investigate the effects of upward or downward refraction. The known angle behaviour of the multipath arrivals can be converted into a time dependence to reveal the multipath pulse shape for a remote source (one-way path) or a target (two-way path). Exact solutions can be calculated numerically, explicit closed-form approximations are given for oneway paths, and these are converted to two-way paths by numerical convolution.
Multistatic active sonar system interoperability, data fusion, and measures of performance. NURC-FR-2006-004. April 2006.
Anti-submarine warfare operations are increasingly challenged due to the quiet nature of current threat submarines, and the complexity of shallow water acoustic environments in which they must be conducted. Active sonar systems have become an important addition to passive systems in the detection of submarines under such conditions. However, active sonar systems must be able to overcome unfavorable propagation conditions, high levels of obscuring reverberation, and increases in the amount of confusing target-like false alarm clutter. Multistatic active sonar configurations have been proposed as a way to augment ASW capability over standalone monostatic active sonar. Over the past several years, the NATO Undersea Research Centre and its collaborators have been engaged in conducting research into the multistatic active sonar system concept. Several at-sea multistatic research trials have been conducted and much knowledge has been gained into the system concept’s performance, interoperability requirements, potential for effective data fusion, and measures of performance. This has resulted in significant number of detailed technical reports and papers on various aspects of the subject. This work is summarized, with an extensive listing of references provided for the reader who requires more detailed treatment of the subject or wishes to obtain specific real world examples based on recent multistatics experiments conducted at sea.
The Multi-Scale multi-model Super-Ensemble cocktail: break, shake and mix . NURC-FR-2006-009. April 2006.
Nowadays, an increasing number of models are routinely providing weather forecasts and climate predictions, offering multiple options on resolutions, range domains and derived fields. On the other hand, NATO requirements are based on one scene-one forecast strategies for operational planning, complemented by small scale, short period environmental forecasts and analysis for tactical support. This fact poses two fundamental problems: from the multiple available forecasts which one should be used; and what is the accuracy and reliability of the products used for tactical support. These issues become more challenging and relevant when considering support for Expeditionary Warfare (in remote areas with limited access) and countering naval asymmetric warfare (need for high accuracy and reliability). The multi-model Super-Ensemble (SE) technique which uses an optimised combination of an ensemble of models has previously been demonstrated to improve forecast skills in atmospheric and ocean models over simple - and bias-removed - ensemble means, further improved using dynamic, regularization, non-linear or probabilistic techniques. A significant drawback of this method for systems which have specific peak frequencies, like well identified geophysical processes for example, is that it does not allow a process-wise combination of models, i.e. the weight on a model is constant whatever the process. Here we show that, by decomposing the individual models into their most relevant spectral bands and re-combining them carefully, this Multi-Scale multi-model Super-ensemble (MSSE) approach outperforms traditional SE forecast skills and allows recovering high frequency phenomena usually averaged out by SE, which offers potential new improvement in atmospheric and oceanographic modelling, uncertainty estimation and data fusion.
Scattering from axially symmetric objects: theory, FEMLAB model implementation and results. NURC-FR-2006-010. April 2006.
The areas of operational relevance addressed by this report are proud and buried target detection and classification. Low frequency SONAR techniques, in the range below 50 kHz for typical mine like objects, have the potential of improving the detection and classification of buried and proud targets. The advantage associated with the low frequencies is that such signals can penetrate the outer shell of the illuminated target, and interact with its interior structure. Hence, low frequency echoes can be used to detect acoustically the presence of explosive inside a target, such as for example a mine or an improvised explosive device. The penetration of low frequency sound into the sediment makes it also possible to obtain echoes from completely buried targets. A fundamental disadvantage associated with the low frequencies is that the spatial resolution is too low to make imaging-like classification possible. For this reason, it is necessary to devise physics-based processing techniques, which can aid in the detection and classification of low frequency echoes. To develop such techniques, it is necessary to rely on a priori knowledge of the low frequency echo structure. Such knowledge can come from numerical simulations or from experimental data. On the other hand, particularly the initial phases of such a research require the availability of reliable target echo models, so that it becomes possible to conduct broadband studies for a variety of different targets, in an affordable amount of time. A numerically efficient modeling tool for the computation of echoes scattered by axially symmetric targets with internal structure is presented. This report presents the mathematical formulation on which the tool is based, implementation instructions, and verified numerical results.
Decision Aid for Risk Evaluation (DARE) Version 2.1 User Guide. NURC-SP-2006-001. March 2006.
Decision Aid for Risk Evaluation - DARE - is a NATO Experimental Tactic (EXTAC 858) for assessing the risk to transiting vessels after Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MCM) have taken place. The NATO Undersea Research Centre sponsors the EXTAC and had been responsible for the last several versions of the DARE software. This document is the User Guide for the current version of the software, DARE 2.1 and will help both new and experienced users to better utilize the software.
Espresso(m) - User Guide. NURC-SP-2006-002. March 2006.
Trials conducted over several years with the NATO Immediate Reaction Forces have demonstrated that Command Teams experience problems in quantifying minehunting sonar performance, especially in areas where the environmental factors combine with low target strength mines to produce difficult minehunting conditions. Inexact performance predictions result in poor evaluations of mine clearance which in turn lead to inaccurate assessments of remaining risk to follow-on forces in the channel or area. Espresso (Extensible Performance and Evaluation Suite for Sonar) has been developed to provide a standard NATO minehunting sonar performance prediction tool that interfaces directly with the NATO MCM planning and evaluation tactical decision aid (MCM EXPERT) to support planning and evaluation of minehunting operations. This User Guide describes the military version of Espresso (Extensible Performance and Evaluation Suite for Sonar).
Espresso - Scientific User Guide. NURC-SP-2006-003. March 2006.
This User Guide describes the scientific version of Espresso (Extensible Performance and Evaluation Suite for Sonar). Espresso is a NATO minehunting sonar performance prediction tool that exists in two versions, one intended for scientific use and the other for military use. The scientific version of Espresso provides greater flexibility than the military version, including the ability to select sub-models and view the results of any sub-model. This user guide addresses the user interface for Espresso and describes the underlying software models and data output options available within Espresso. There is a separate user guide for the military version, Espresso(m).
Proceedings of the NATO Workshop on Multistatic Operations Research. NURC-CP-2006-001. November 2005 (Published January 2006).
This workshop brought together experts in operations research, multistatic systems research, and military ASW operations in order to exchange information on Multistatic OR/OA studies, tools and methodologies, and the development of multistatic CONOPS.