#4 Not quite, but close.
I'm not sure I agree that this project suggests the Navy has too much budget. (They may or may not, but I wouldn't base the assessment on this center.)
SPAWAR's Systems Center is tasked with developing this sort of concept demonstration prototype so that warfighters can evaluate potential R&D investments towards new systems.
This prototype addresses an existing JCS mandate that the services form a Common Operational Picture which merges sensor, intel, and other information into displays and analyses available to all the commanders in a theater. The COP is intended to be updated in real-time, to allow drill down for lower unit commanders and to form the basis for multiservice operational coordination. That's a tough, complex capability to provide. In addition to basic technical challenges in e.g. data fusion and analysis, there are questions regarding human information absorbtion, interaction with intelligent software agents and team dynamics when these new capabilities are available. A prototype center like this allows some of those questions to be addressed at low cost before larger dollars are invested in detailed development and deployment. |