Since the Second World War, increased performance has been acquired by investing heavily in expensive new sensor hardware, at the near exclusion of developing new algorithms and tactics to optimize use of sensors in complex environments. The shift toward threats in just such hostile areas demands a more synergistic approach wherein new sensors breed new tactics, and possibly vice versa. The optimization strategies to date either provide precise answers to sensor usage, but too slowly to be tactically useful, or quick answers that are at best suggestive of the proper strategy. SCOUT (Sensor Coordination for Optimal Utilization and Tactics) is a novel approach which combines the best aspects of the most promising methods, and approaches the solution process in a sufficiently general way that its capabilities will be useful for land-based, sea-based, air-based sensors, platforms, and searches, and the much more difficult problem of mixed-environment missions (such as a beachhead invasion). SCOUT adapts previous work with genetic and Bayesian solutions to solve the specific problem of optimally choosing aircraft sensors and flight paths to maximize overall mission performance, while minimizing vulnerability. Benefit This research will produce a design and prototype for a tactical decision aid to assist mission planning on Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) for over-sea and over-land missions. It will provide a plan for joint sensor usage and optimal aircraft flight paths for ASW and ISR missions, considering threat behavior and weather conditions. It will lead to a formal mission planner that will have application throughout the entire fleet of MPA assets. In fact, the concepts developed here will have broad application and commercialization potential in many military and civilian areas. It will be adaptable to problems where scheduling sensor use and platform tracks are required. Keywords MPA operations, search theory, Multi-mission warfare, Multi-sensor optimization, Tactical decisions, ASW, ISR, mission planning
