Daniel H. Wagner Associates, for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Missile
Defense (MD) Future Naval Capability (FNC), has developed an advanced data
fusion algorithm (CAIFA) to improve the Theater Air and Missile Defense (TAMD)
combat identification process. CAIFA fuses together multiple, diverse
sources of ID evidence attached to existing radar tracks of airborne entities
to enable rapid identification of tracks with high degree of confidence.
Bayesian reasoning and updating techniques are used in CAIFA to fuse
multi-sensor/multi-source identification evidence to provide identity
estimates-allegiance, nationality, platform type, and intent-of detected
airborne platforms in the air battle space, enabling positive and rapid combat
identification decisions. Functionally, the algorithm is structured as a
Bayesian network that provides an explanatory framework for inference and
forms the basis for computational reasoning.
