Machine Intelligence for DoD Communications System Control

Modern military communication systems are complex, multi-layered networks which demand an integrated and automated approach to network management and system control. Effective system control requires interpretation of operating data to assess network status, planning to reconfigure network resources in the event of outages, and decision making to effect appropriate control actions. To meet these needs, the U.S. Air Force, in conjunction with the Defense Communications Agency (DCA), is investigating the use of machine intelligence techniques to provide real-time expert assistance to the human operators responsible for the management and control of the Defense Communications System. This paper describes an evolutionary approach to the development of these intelligent assistants, in which modular hardware and software systems are being developed and tested in an incremental progression of closely coupled projects.