Summary

The statement of task that guided the work of the Army Research Laboratory Technical Assessment Board (ARLTAB) is as follows:

During the 2015-2016 assessment, the ARLTAB was assisted by six panels, each of which focused on a portion of the ARL program conducted in ARL’s science and technology (S&T) campaigns: Materials Research, Sciences for Lethality and Protection, Information Sciences and Computational Sciences, Sciences for Maneuver, Human Sciences, and Analysis and Assessment. This report summarizes the findings of the Board for the 2015-2016 biennial assessment.

The mission of ARL, as the U.S. Army’s corporate laboratory, is to provide innovative science, technology, and analyses to enable a full spectrum of operations. In 2013, ARL restructured its portfolio of ongoing and planned research and development (R&D) to align with its S&T campaign plans for 2015-2035. ARL has maintained its organizational structure, consisting of six directorates: Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (WMRD), Computational and Information Sciences Directorate (CISD), Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED), Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate (SEDD), Survivability and Lethality Analysis Directorate (SLAD), and Vehicle

Technology Directorate (VTD). The research portfolio has been organized into science and technology campaigns, each of which describes related work supported by staff from multiple directorates. Appendix Table A.1 shows the directorates that supported each campaign during the 2015-2016 review. ARL’s technical strategy document describes the portfolio of each campaign in detail.¹ ARL’s vision is compelling and raises expectations for an innovative program of research designed to be responsive to the needs of the Army after next. This is not yet fully evident in the portfolio currently being assessed. The reorganization of the portfolio into key focused campaigns is promising, but it may take some time to transform and mature the program of work to consistently align with new critical paths.

In general, the quality of the research presented, the capabilities of the leadership, the knowledge and abilities of the investigators, and proposed future directions continue to improve. Significant gains were evident in publication rates, numbers of postdoctoral researchers, and collaborations with relevant peers outside ARL. The research work environments were impressive in terms of their unique and advanced technology capabilities to support research. Overall these are all outstanding accomplishments and mark an advance over prior years.

MATERIALS RESEARCH

ARL’s materials research efforts span the spectrum of technology maturity as they address Army applications, working from the state of the art to the art of the possible—25 years out, according to ARL. Materials research efforts and expertise, one of ARL’s core technical competencies, are appropriately spread throughout the ARL enterprise.

Biological and Bioinspired Materials

The biological and bioinspired materials effort, though small, has an excellent track record, including the stabilization of proteins against thermal and chemical extremes using new chemistries and methods to derive antibody-like reagents that improve antibody properties—accomplishments that are likely to lead to program growth. The scientific quality of this thrust area is on par with the work at leading federal, university, and industry laboratories and is a crucial part of a broader national effort in biomaterials research. Because biology is a growth area, ARL now has an opportunity to identify and recruit a critical mass of biologists, including microbiologists and polymer/organic chemists, looking well into the future to create an integrated community of researchers.

Energy and Power Materials

Energy and power materials is a broad mission-critical research area covering a range of different devices, fuels, and applications across a wide range of time and length scales. The research portfolio supports an appropriate balance of high-risk, long-term-impact projects along with mid- and short-term projects. The quality of the research is comparable to that of top academic and industrial research laboratories. However, there are questions as to whether ARL is mobilizing aggressively enough to capitalize on ARL’s internal advances and as well as external advances made by the broader community—for example, in quantum-well infrared photo detectors and in silicon photonics. In general, the programs are

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¹ U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Army Research Laboratory Technical Strategy 2015-2035, Adelphi, Md., 2014, http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/172/docs/ARL_TechnicalStrategy_FINAL.pdf.

working to integrate modeling with experimental study, but in contrast to the expansion in first-principles modeling, engineering models are underutilized.

Engineered Photonics Materials

ARL’s engineered photonics materials research effort is among the world’s best. This is an impressive accomplishment in light of the technical program’s inherently wide scope. The quality of the work presented reflects a high level of technical competence and professionalism on the part of researchers and management and shows a good balance of high-risk, longer-term work and nearer-term, customer-driven solutions and incremental—but critical—technology refinement. This well-balanced portfolio is supported by a strong materials capability in terms of both staff expertise and facilities. Investments in computational modeling and simulation have been successfully implemented to complement strengths and core competencies in materials synthesis and characterization, as well as device work. All of these facilities and capabilities are being leveraged into compelling device- and application-driven work, especially in ultraviolet materials and infrared devices and device physics in both areas.

High Strain Rate and Ballistic Materials

ARL’s high strain rate (HSR) and ballistic materials effort is excellent, having established itself as a world leader by building novel capabilities, including, for example, extensive facilities for metals, polymers, and composites processing. The miniaturized Hopkinson bar and multiscale rate-dependent mechanical testing equipment—along with microscale sample preparation set-up for investigating polymers, metals, ceramics, fibers, and threads—are unique facilities. The commitment by ARL to take advantage of the dynamic sector facilities at the Advanced Photon Source is noteworthy. In situ measurements performed using these facilities will provide the needed fundamental knowledge for developing and validating computational models for improved understanding of HSR effects. Throughout the HSR and ballistic materials efforts, there is substantial growth in the use of computation and modeling and its integration with experimentation. Continued advances in this area are needed, with the addition, wherever possible, of physics-based analysis.

Structural Materials

The research of the structural materials effort is successfully coupling modeling with experimentation. Of note are programs designed not only to support specific and narrowly focused materials development efforts but those that will produce more broadly applicable tools—for example, the program directed toward grain boundary modeling of ceramics for light-weight protective materials. The computational tools developed as part of this effort will be applicable to the study of grain boundary interfacial relationships across all ceramic materials. The potentially wide applicability for these modeling and simulation techniques will provide ARL with the capabilities it needs to respond rapidly to future threats.

Electronic Materials

Overall, the quality of applied R&D efforts in electronic materials is outstanding with well-supported staff. Long-range projects that are maturing and moving into manufacturing (MANTECH programs) are balanced by new advanced research initiatives.

The R&D under this thrust is directed, in part, to responding to dramatic changes in the battlefield environment and has transformed from a relatively small number of large, well-supported divisions to smaller distributed groups. This transformation challenges the Army to provide the infrastructure for supplies, particularly equipment repair. An exciting example of one of the research programs intended to meet this need is the application of basic metallurgical science to provide field deployable, individual custom repairs for damaged vehicles, including helicopters and armored vehicles.

SCIENCES FOR LETHALITY AND PROTECTION

The ARL research efforts in sciences for lethality and protection that were assessed in 2015 and 2016 span basic research that improves our fundamental understanding of scientific phenomena and generates technology that supports battlefield injury mechanisms in the following areas: human response to threats and human protective equipment; directed energy programs; ballistics and blast programs that address weapon–target interactions and armor and adaptive protection developments; disruptive energetics and propulsion technologies; effects on target—ballistics and blast; and flight, guidance, navigation, and control.

Battlefield Injury Mechanisms

A better understanding of battlefield injury mechanisms is vital to improving protective measures, making this program an important one for ARL. This is especially true for protection of the head, about which there is considerable uncertainty concerning allowable levels of shock, which greatly affect the protective options. The most impressive accomplishment of the program for battlefield injury mechanisms, human response, and human protective equipment is that a strong cadre of scientists is at work, and a credible program is under way. A long-term vision for the battlefield injury mechanisms projects could better guide resource allocation and program direction.

Directed Energy

ARL’s campaign plans categorize directed energy (DE) as a focused area under the much broader category of electronic warfare (EW), in accordance with the Army’s definitions. The ARL posture designations for both radio frequency-DE and laser-DE are collaborate rather than lead. ARL needs to take a strategic look at the area of DE to determine its priority going forward and rethink its effort with a view to the 2035 time frame. The strategic review needs to consider future capabilities that the Army will need that DE might enable, as well as what DE capabilities might be fielded by our adversaries for which the Army will need countermeasures. A focused ARL DE program would benefit from a systems-level study addressing future Army missions in which DE could play a role and where DE effectiveness and alternatives to DE are traded off.

Armor and Adaptive Protection

ARL has a strong record of achievement in the basic and applied sciences and the engineering of penetration and protection. The R&D described in the armor and adaptive protection area showed how ARL is building on its tradition of excellence to provide the knowledge basis for current and future Army needs in protecting our warfighters. This remains a core competency that underlies Army capabilities across the entire Department of Defense (DOD), and it needs to be preserved and nurtured. There was significant evidence of teamwork and integration among the projects in, for example, adaptive protec-

tion. Examples of the linkage between experimentation and computational modeling to provide physical insight into problems were especially noteworthy and had the potential to aid in developing new designs and exploring new concepts. Developing a predictive capability for damage and fracture in metals, ceramics, and polymers underlies the efficient development of new material systems for protection from emerging penetration capabilities.

Disruptive Energetics and Propulsion Technologies

ARL’s synthesis effort is a commendable, relatively new effort at ARL to develop a chemical synthesis effort whose growth is warranted. A blended focus on various applications (propellants and explosives) is needed rather than just explosives. This is a high-risk/high-payoff effort, so ARL could expect that most candidate materials may not, ultimately, transition to Army applications and systems. The propellant simulation R&D remains a traditional strength of ARL that is positively impacting and supporting warfighter and Army needs, and it is necessary for it to be supported and nurtured. In the extended solids focus area, it is commendable that ARL has scaled some materials to more significant quantities (grams), and ARL needs to pursue scaling to larger quantities for testing where possible.

ARL could beneficially complement the experimental efforts to date in its energetics and propellant projects with modeling efforts that might suggest alternate geometries (e.g., cylindrical) and perhaps allow additional information (e.g., model parameters) to be obtained from the data. Developing 3D additive manufacturing techniques for solid propellants and temperature-sensitive glues is exciting and necessary.

Flight, Guidance, Navigation, and Control

ARL’s research team has made significant progress toward developing the technical underpinnings of advanced guided munitions in the areas of aerodynamics, guidance and control, and terminal homing. ARL has attracted some outstanding personnel in the Flight, Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) area, especially new Ph.D.’s, and they are undertaking interesting and relevant work on par with academic departments. ARL needs to continue to invest in its staffing in this manner. The research in the areas of vortex fin interactions and highly maneuverable, small-diameter munitions is impressive. In the GN&C R&D area, ARL needs to decide in which areas it will lead, versus collaborate, versus watch or follow developments. Strategic thinking by ARL in the GN&C area is critically important to define the state of the art in aspects of GN&C that are important to the Army and determine where ARL will engage and at what level and with whom.

INFORMATION SCIENCES

The research portfolio in information sciences includes research projects in broad categories of system intelligence and intelligent systems (SIIS), sensing and effecting, network and communications (NC), human and information interaction (HII), cybersecurity, and atmospheric sciences.

System Intelligence and Intelligent Systems

Research in information understanding and retrieval is focused on methods for extracting temporal relationships from text for constructing knowledge networks, and using agent-based semantic analysis for information retrieval. Other projects are directed at identifying mechanisms for trust formation in

human networks. Work on information fusion seeks to combine data from disparate sources and uses an approach of estimating credibility through fusion of subject opinions. Research is also directed at approaches for reasoning in an uncertain environment. Work on designing optimal paths for autonomous mobile robot movement is of very high quality.

Sensing and Effecting

In sensing and effecting, research in the application of new materials and deployment of innovative new signal-processing techniques has enhanced the effectiveness of acoustic sensors. The work on cross-modal face recognition is of high quality and relevant to Army missions. Development of new sensor algorithms for polarization imagery and manmade object discrimination has important practical implications. In radar signal processing, the use of nonlinear harmonic radar to achieve greater sensitivity across a narrow frequency band has shown promise. Similarly, work related to fusing data from multiple sources to improve inference has good potential.

Networks and Communications

Research projects in the NC area focus on understanding and exploiting the interactions between information and socio-technical networks, in particular, on communications and command and control networks. In research related to channels and protocols, there is a focus on very-high frequency (VHF) range communications, ultraviolet (UV) communications, and on quantum methods for networked communications. Work on UV communications includes an experimental program to validate theoretical propagation models. Research in network-based information processing has a focus on emulation and simulation tools for experimentation, information theoretic foundations, trust in networks, and decentralized learning. The Network Science Research Laboratory is a significant resource for this research.

Human and Information Interaction

HII research is a new endeavor within ARL and does not have fully developed areas and lines of research. The ongoing research projects represent the following three major focus areas: (1) the use of computational technologies to facilitate communications between humans and devices in a degraded information environment using natural language, and using images as appropriate; (2) the decision-making process in an environment where information is received from the built environment, social media, traditional media, and a myriad of sensors; and (3) an examination of how groups shape the information environment, gain information dominance, take actions, and affect appropriate response.

Cybersecurity

Research in cybersecurity is focused around theoretical advances and model development related to cyber threat detection, recognition, and defeat mechanisms. It examines detection and defeat of sophisticated attacks that are different from those encountered in commercial or civilian settings. The combination of strategic and tactical networks in use by the Army creates unique challenges in the domain of cybersecurity, including a constantly evolving environment of threats. The ARL portfolio of research in this area contains an even balance between theoretical and applied components.

Atmospheric Sciences

The research in atmospheric sciences has a focus on both the characterization and prediction of the diverse battlespace environment. Individual projects address the challenges of collection and processing of environmental data from nontraditional observing platforms, imaging and sensing of aerosols and objects in the battlespace environment, and understanding complex atmospheric flows using a combination of field observation experiments and model development. The emphasis is on developing accurate, relevant, and timely predictions on spatial and temporal scales useful to Army operations. The research portfolio includes a mix of analytical and computational projects as well as experimental projects.

COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES

In the research portfolio under computational sciences, projects in the broad categories of advanced computing architectures, computing sciences, data-intensive sciences, and predictive simulation sciences were reviewed.

Advanced Computing Architectures

In the area of advanced computing architectures, ARL research has focused on tactical high-performance computing (HPC) and on exploring new computer architectures, including neurosynaptic computing, the epiphany of a many-core chip, and quantum networking. Research on computation ferrying is directed at tactical HPC—the issue of computational tasks that could be computed on handheld devices or on mobile tactical HPC resources. Beyond establishing modeling and simulation capabilities to guide offload decisions, critical issues related to programmability and performance of edge (handheld) devices are being explored. Research in dynamic binary translation is focused on allowing fast cross-architecture execution of binary codes, and it has yielded dramatic improvement in performance.

Computing Sciences

The computing sciences group has established a strategic focus in quantum computing, parallel processing environments for large heterogeneous parallel systems, and tools to simplify application development for HPC environments. Research on the development of a threaded message-passing interface for reduced instruction set computing array multicore processors has yielded innovative solutions to the challenge of power-efficient parallel programming. The work on HPC-scaled quantum hardware description language is representative of one of the few efforts in the area of quantum networking.

Data-Intensive Sciences

Accomplishments in data-intensive sciences include new model order reduction methods for partial differential equations (PDE), cognitively steered exploration of solutions to PDEs at different resolution, efficient summarization and visualization of high-dimensional data sets, and concise characterization of spall damage in materials. The work on developing a high-performance, sparse, nonnegative, least-square solver advances the state of the art and leverages ARL’s expertise in numerical analysis and HPC. Similarly, the work on neuromorphic computing represents a fresh and original approach. Good advances have been made in large, multiscale material modeling, particularly to identify damage modes. The visual simulation laboratory focuses the use of a visualization-based framework to allow users to steer a multiresolution PDE simulation.

Predictive Simulation Sciences

Important contributions have been made to developing predictive capabilities for use on the low-power computer platforms available in the field. In materials modeling, research on scalable algorithms for simulating dislocations in microstructured crystals is promising and has broad applicability for material and structural failure simulations. One of the most difficult technical challenges for this work is the problem of effective load balancing of HPC resources, and the research could benefit from consideration of new developments in adaptive parallel load-balancing techniques.

SCIENCES FOR MANEUVER

Vehicle Intelligence

In each of the three pillars of the vehicle intelligence (VI) program—human–robot interaction, intelligence and control (I&C), and perception—the research quality was generally high. Collaboration with other government agencies, industry, and universities continues to have positive benefits. Internal personnel advancement strengthens the science capability for the VI R&D program. Each of the three pillars of the VI program has demonstrated significant progress in advancing its R&D objectives to support the warfighter in increasingly complex environments. The R&D activities are consistent with their defined objectives. Opportunities in multiperson/multirobot scenario simulation, the teaming of autonomous systems with soldiers in uncertain environments, multispectral sensing, range sensing, contact sensing, and immersive display of robot LIDAR imagery are likely to allow ARL to be of even greater benefit to the soldier.

Inclusion of soldiers in VI field experiments is commendable. Use of more realistic vignettes and real-life simulations in experiments would be very beneficial. In particular, the use of realistic war fighting vignettes, where researchers are in the field with soldiers, provides opportunities to test and evaluate research hypotheses more thoroughly, including the revelation of previous unknowns.

Some strategic goals and tactical milestones for VI R&D programs could be made more apparent. To help quantify general progress and application-specific performance, more efforts need to be made in baselining and benchmarking.

The Board’s conclusion on I&C research at ARL is that the whole is considerably less than the sum of the parts. Challenges to I&C research focus on determining how to deal with trade-offs in order to determine which research to continue; how to effectively integrate outcomes from the individual projects and develop a methodology for this integration; how to share the overarching systems perspective and relay that vision to the research projects; how to identify and validate the process of getting from high-level capability or needs to research tasks (and evaluation or benchmarking of whether they comply with needs); how to appropriately delineate between basic and early applied work; how to balance and integrate top-down and bottom-up-driven processes; how to compare the research against the standard baseline data sets (when available) and identify standard metrics for validating whether the research has achieved the stated goals of the proposed work; and how to transition the research from work on simplified problems that facilitate analysis to actual scenarios that are germane to the Army’s unique problems and characteristics.

Vehicle Technology

Similarly, in each of the foundational pillars and key enablers of the vehicle technology program—platform mechanics, energy and propulsion, platform mechanics, and logistics and sustainability—the

research quality was generally high. Research results are published in high-quality journals. Collaboration with other government agencies, industry, and universities continues to yield positive benefit. Internal personnel advancement, including hiring new, well-qualified Ph.D. researchers, strengthens the capability of the Sciences for Maneuver R&D program.

The Koopman decomposition of periodically excited Hopf bifurcation research (nonlinear system theory) initiative is outstanding with potential significant impact on Army understanding and exploitation of nonlinear mechanics such as dynamic stall, Floquet instabilities, low-order modeling of control system design, and ground resonance instabilities.

The overall quality of the transient thermal management of electronic components is excellent. This work is critical to war-fighting missions. Using multilevel encapsulated phase change material, this work focuses on examining fast transients for high-power applications. A big picture demonstration showing how the energy and power work will be integrated would be helpful for future ARLTAB assessments and to researchers. Such a demonstration can be used to pursue a very relevant and informative system-of-systems analysis that can be used to identify weak links, guide research, and steer collaborations.

HUMAN SCIENCES

Six elements of human sciences were assessed during 2015-2016. In addition, a component of the Analysis and Assessment Campaign portfolio on assessing mission capabilities of systems was reviewed during 2015.

The overall technical quality of the Human Sciences Campaign is good and has shown continual improvement. ARL continues on a trajectory of hiring highly skilled postdoctoral researchers, many of whom are being groomed to become full-time ARL employees. Publication in peer-reviewed journals and participation at professional conferences has continued to grow, coupled with increasing participation in professional activities (e.g., journal editing). Collaborations with peer communities appear to be healthy and provide ARL personnel with invaluable networking opportunities and the options to leverage quality research elsewhere. ARL’s investment in quality R&D in the human sciences has increased its potential for impact on the present and future Army.

Humans in Multiagent Systems

As scoped, the area of humans in multiagent systems is very broad. It includes interactions between humans and technology and between humans and other human beings (sociocultural interactions), and it is not clear how those pieces fit together. The challenges for human sciences R&D are in understanding and dealing with human factors such as soldier workload, situation awareness, trust, influence, and cultural cognition. This is an important interdisciplinary area with unquestionable Army relevance where ARL human sciences needs to have a lead role. A coherent vision of ARL’s niches for ongoing and future research needs to be established.

Real-World Behavior

The collection and analysis of human behavioral data in dynamic, complex, natural environments is an ambitious and challenging undertaking. Not surprisingly, the accomplishments in this area are incremental given the immature state of the art and the challenges to developing the needed enabling technology and methodology. The research presented is well focused on mission-relevant problems and contexts and draws on measures from multiple domains (e.g., biomechanics, cognition, and neuro-

sciences), which is consistent with the goal of addressing real-world complexity. Continued strategic investment in this area can yield significant payoffs for the Army with potential spillover benefits to other government and private sector R&D.

Toward Human Variability

Understanding and predicting human variability is an important and timely topic for investigation. Current systems are calibrated to the average performance of the average person in challenging circumstances; optimized adaptive systems might enable better use of human capacity when situations and states permit. Advances in this area reflect the availability of increasingly sophisticated techniques for behavioral and brain measurement and the development of new analytic and statistical methods that could enable adaptive systems in operational settings. This group has recruited an exceptionally strong set of researchers, including well-qualified postdoctoral and early-career scientists representing different technical backgrounds. Overall, the work in this area was of exceptional quality.

Training

The goal of the training program is to discover and develop methods, models, tools, and technologies that will increase soldier readiness by improving training methods and training technologies. The scope and complexity of training science and technology is massive.

The technology baseline on which training depends cuts across multiple science and technology areas and, in turn, requires a diverse, multidisciplinary workforce. Likewise, the relevant basic cognitive and social science research that applies to many training problems is fragmented and somewhat characterized by competing micro-theories. Overall the area is well staffed and professionally connected and is drawing upon appropriate methods and using relevant environments and subject populations. Generally, the training program is addressing selected scientific and technical challenges relevant to both the Army and the education and training community at large. In particular, the intelligent tutoring work stands out for its technical leadership and achievements.

Integration Technologies

The objectives of the integration technology R&D program are to discover and innovate principles and mechanisms for integrating humans and systems. The area has assembled a highly qualified and productive team with expertise in electroencephalogram, statistical and neural network modeling, and the modeling of neural substrates of behavior. It has employed quality research methods in physiological and behavioral signal measurement and analyses and in advanced machine-learning techniques. Competitive advances in the characterization and understanding of the human state (cognitive, affective, and physical) from neural and behavioral measurements are significant, its publications are strong, and the potential return on investment in this area is very high.

Augmentation

The goals of the augmentation R&D program are to develop and enable technological approaches to augmenting fundamental human capabilities that may enhance Army mission-related performance. The scientists and engineers working in this area have demonstrated keen awareness of the trade-offs between the burden of additional gear, machinery, weight, and maintenance against the expected benefits

from augmentation devices and algorithms. The ARL augmentation team is well positioned to become a leading global force in the R&D of augmentation for healthy individuals. These enhanced performance capabilities offer significant potential benefits to the Army and opportunities for valuable downstream spin-offs to the civilian sector.

Assessing Mission Capabilities of Systems

In the area of assessing mission capabilities of systems, the work comprises human-centered engineering and decision support methods, models, and tools supported under ARL’s Analysis and Assessment Campaign. Most of the projects that were presented in this area are responding to the needs of specific Army customers. Commendable efforts are under way at ARL to advance assessment science by developing new models, tools, and metrics to support the acquisition and fielding of effective human–machine systems responsive to emerging missions and threats. ARL has the opportunity to be on the forefront of the research in this area; however, the current portfolio of projects in human–system integration (HSI) may be too customer-driven. ARL could leverage this applied work and/or fund companion projects to advance the state of scientific knowledge for HSI and to broaden the impact of the work beyond the immediate customers.

ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT

ARL’s Analysis and Assessment Campaign provides tools that increase awareness of material capabilities, assess the survivability and lethality of Army systems, and improve and simplify the Army’s decision making. Generally, ARL needs to broaden the perspectives of the campaign staff members. ARL also needs to acquire and/or develop a comprehensive set of analytical capabilities that leverage other modeling, simulation, and HPC capabilities to ensure adequate support for future campaign endeavors.

Electronic Warfare

The electronic warfare (EW) team has demonstrated its understanding of future threats for operations in complex electromagnetic environments. With new threats, the level of analysis and assessment needed will require more nuanced applications of EW, and related activities of electronic surveillance, electronic attack, and electronic protection along with countermeasure and counter-countermeasure developments. The team has state-of-the-art laboratories and has developed state-of-the-art instrumentation, which have been integrated with modeling and simulation tools to assess and test Army radio frequency and electro-optical systems. In particular, the anechoic chamber provides special capabilities that ARL is well positioned to take advantage of. The developed digital frequency radio memory (DRFM) module has a variety of potential applications and has been integrated into a network-controllable radio signal generation system that allows command and control of a network of signal generators to create a distributed complex radio frequency test environment. The optimized modular EW network system has a flexible architecture, with growth potential to generate future and emerging threats.

The building blocks have been developed to assemble and evolve more complex EW systems. While there is a desire to insert analysis and assessment methods into earlier stages of technology development, when and where to include these inputs into the development process has yet to be determined. The EW team needs to pursue activities that improve convergence and integration of EW and cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity

The cybersecurity team at ARL applies its expertise in cybersecurity to find areas of vulnerability in systems and then provides the systems’ developers or operators with guidance to enable them to improve their security. The team provides valuable services to Army programs and organizations, and its services are in demand from various Army organizations; this has led to more demand for cybersecurity services than there is the capacity to provide those services. As a consequence, there is not enough time to carry out necessary tool development and maintenance. Nevertheless, the cybersecurity team has discovered new and previously unknown vulnerabilities (called zero-day vulnerabilities) in Army systems. These and other discoveries have enabled Army organizations to remediate vulnerabilities in developing and deployed systems. This also gives ARL the opportunity to capitalize on such discoveries by conducting root-cause analyses of discovered vulnerabilities and ensure that future Army systems are free from similar problems. However, newly discovered vulnerabilities need to be broadly investigated, and, where feasible, approaches to removing similar vulnerabilities from systems need to be created and applied broadly. To date, there have been limited engagements that required assessing embedded systems, which are likely to become more important in the future. A research effort needs to start on the cybersecurity of embedded systems, which are a major likely source of future security problems.

The cybersecurity team also needs more time and resources to develop new tools and to make current and new tools more effective. Security review practices also need to be benchmarked against peer groups from the other services and the National Security Agency in order to calibrate the quality of practices and identify opportunities for improving practices. The cybersecurity team also needs to be allowed to attend Black Hat and Defcon conferences, where state-of-the-art attacks and vulnerabilities, and the techniques used to detect them, are presented and discussed.

Complex Adaptive Systems Analysis

The goal of the complex adaptive systems and analysis (CASA) program is to develop a family of simulations and associated analysis suites to provide test beds and to support experimentation. A clear perspective of how CASA contributes and crosses boundaries within ARL and DOD needs to be articulated as soon as possible with buy-in from the relevant constituencies. The current CASA capability is neither adequate nor well positioned to engage the wide spectrum of ARL needs. A CASA program that encompasses the entire acquisition life cycle, especially long-persisting logistics and sustainment challenges, could provide an opportunity for engineering analyses to directly support the Sciences for Maneuver Campaign and the full range of force operating capabilities. The CASA program also needs to be directed toward the Army standard force-on-force models.

Current manpower levels and skills mix are insufficient in both capacity and capability to adequately support a broader CASA program as it expands across ARL. ARL needs to address the lack of data scientists and operations research analysts within the CASA program; its lack of this expertise is a conspicuous shortfall that needs to be a top priority. Furthermore, future project groups need to be supported and sustained by a nucleus of operations research expertise, including data analytics, and guiding multidisciplinary groups with skill sets that are relevant to the tasks undertaken. The vital role that operations research and operations research analysts can, and needs to, play in this activity cannot be overemphasized.

CROSSCUTTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the 2015-2016 reviews whose assessment is summarized in this report, ARLTAB offers six recommendations that apply across the campaigns.

Research Portfolio

Integration of Research and Systems Engineering

Interaction with Industry

Research Assessment

Staff Development, Retention, and Mentoring

Facilities and Equipment