Research Area 1: Modeling, Simulation, & Analysis (MS&A)

The objective of this work is to develop/modify and employ models used to analyze Air Superiority concepts and their related concepts of employment. The objective is to apply, modify and/or combine engineering, engagement (one-on-one), mission (few-on-few), systems-of-systems, campaign (many-on-many, military worth), level modeling techniques, tools, and analysis methods as well as virtual and constructive digital simulation which lend themselves to the quick and effective evaluation of air superiority concepts. Concepts include, but are not limited to, intercommunicative weapons, novel damage mechanisms, lethal and novel destruct mechanisms, multiple targeting, and time-critical delivery. Detailed modeling includes, but is not limited to, sensors, aerodynamics, autopilots, navigation and guidance schemes, propulsion, warheads, fuzes, datalinks, fire control, launcher, suspension, carriage and release, error filters, environment (wind, fog, and dust), lethality, vulnerability, and threats. Missile Performance MS&A may also include the following topics: dynamic and easy to render simulation output visualization with all entities playing, distributed interactive simulations, rapid pintle nozzle and aerospike modeling, rapid modeling of solid rocket motors quickly using scaling laws and rules of thumb for concept development and rapid trade studies, accurate hypersonic high-angle-of-attack aerodynamics coefficients, aerodynamic derivatives due to body motion, design and modeling of articulated nose, effects of plume on aerodynamic forces and moments, innovative and rapid approaches for wind tunnel aero data reduction and display, modelling of thermal stresses due to high temperature gradients between skin and inside structure, modelling of advanced control systems such as autopilot, modelling of unconventional control surfaces such as wraparound fins or grid fins, efficient lower-order emulations of complex control systems, modelling of products of inertia, modelling of continuous changes in mass and inertia properties. Scenario development and visualization at each level of MS&A is also sought. Additionally, environmental factors that influence a weapons performance can be considered. This can include but not be limited to collaborative simulation environments and Anti-Access Area-Denial (A2AD) type environments, scenario generation and infrastructure simulation common to environments that weapons may operate in.