RSPACE Programme Will Leverage DIRECT Software Tool
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems a Phase 3 contract worth $3.1 million (€2.75 million) to continue developing autonomy software to improve the resilience of air mission planning. The Resilient Synchronized Planning and Assessment for the Contested Environment (RSPACE) programme seeks to develop human-centred software decision aids that can assist air operators to better control daily operations in a complex battlespace.
In response to this need, and as part of the RSPACE programme, BAE Systems created software the Distributed, Interactive, Command-and-Control Tool (DIRECT), part of the company’s autonomy technology portfolio, to improve air battlespace awareness. Using assessment analytics, the software provides an easy-to-use, visual interface to generate real-time alerts so operators can evaluate areas of concern during the planning and execution of a mission. The software also automatically adjusts to minimise bandwidth when communications are limited and unreliable, to assist in mission continuity and completion.
“New users have found DIRECT easy to learn, indicating we are well on our way to providing a software decision aid that will help planners adapt to plan changes, make real-time decisions faster and more effectively execute their missions,” explained BAE Systems’ Product Line Director for the Autonomy, Controls, and Estimation group, Chris Eisenbies.
Work on the project, which includes technology partner Uncharted Software, Inc., will be performed in Burlington, MA and Arlington, VA.
