FIRRE UGV Joint Battlespace Command and Control System

The Joint Battlespace Command and Control System (JBC2S) is the command-and-control element for the Family of Integrated Rapid Response Equipment (FIRRE) such as the FIRRE UGV. JBC2S is a network-centric, geospatial command and control system that allows the field commander and above to plan and execute missions utilizing multiple and disparate manned and unmanned assets. It utilizes standard map formats (GeoTIFF, DNC, CADRG) for displaying map data and for tracking asset placement and movement.

JBC2S is a fusion of the framework of the Multiple-robot Operator Control Unit (MOCU), the functionality of the Multiple Resource Host Architecture (MRHA). The look of JBC2S is much more improved over the MRHA through the display of raster graphics data in addition to vector graphics data. The use of raster images reveals much more detail about the environment and presents a modern, state-of-the-art user interface (Kramer et al., 2006). JBC2S control station operates either in Monitor mode, in which the operator observes and monitors the status of the unmanned vehicles and sensors or the operator is in direct control of a single resource.

The FIRRE UGV provides telemetry data such as engine speed, engine temperature, hydraulic pressure, hydraulic temperature, track speed, fuel level, battery voltage, and obstacle detection data to the JBC2S through the MRHA IDD protocol. It also provides the pan/tilt positions of a SeaFLIR imager and the AN/PPS-5D radar located on the FIRRE UGV. JBC2S uses pan/tilt information to display coverage areas for these sensors on the map. The Platform Get Status response includes several flags such as GPS failure, emergency halt, low-battery warning, tamper alarm, and diagnostic failure. (Kramer et al., 2006).

The look and feel of the JBC2S is much better with the incorporation of the ArcGIS Engine architecture which is a library of embeddable GIS components such as the toolbar, ArcMap (2-D), ArcGlobe (3-D), and ArcScene (3-D) components.

Reference

Kramer, T. A., Laird, R. T., Dinh, M., Barngrover, C. M., Cruickshanks, J. R., & Gilbreath, G. A. (2006).  FIRRE joint battlespace command and control system for manned and unmanned assets (JBC2S). Paper presented at the , 6230 623020. doi:10.1117/12.666191 Retrieved from https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/6230/623020/FIRRE-joint-battlespace-command-and-control-system-for-manned-and/10.1117/12.666191.short