Naval ISR Fusion Principles, Operations, and Technologies

Author

• Edward Waltz

  is Professor of Practice (Intelligence) in the Center for Multiunit Studies (CMIS) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) where he conducts research in intelligence processing from multiple intelligence sources. Prior to joining NPS in 2018, he was Division Chief, Advanced Concepts at the National Reconnaissance Office while a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at Virginia Tech, serving an IPA position within the U.S. Intelligence Community. where is the Division Chief, leading intelligence process research focused on automating intelligence collection and data integration. Prior to 2013 he held numerous research leadership roles: BAE Systems Advanced Information Technologies (Chief Scientist), General Dynamics, and Veridian (Technical Director, Senior Scientist) - developing and deploying signal processing, data fusion and intelligence analysis capabilities. He led numerous hard target Multiunit studies and tool developments over two decades for different agencies of the IC. His prior experience was as a digital signal processor designer (Apollo, NASA Multispectral scanner, LANDSAT,) systems engineer (Navy Radiometer, SEASAT, Space Shuttle) and Systems Engineering Manager (AN/UPX-30(V), Tri-Service Mark XV). Since 2015 he has been an Adjunct Professor of Strategic Intelligence, Patrick Henry College. He has given over 45 international lecture series (2 and 3-day courses) on intelligence topics during the period 1990-2010.

• Jim Scrofani

  is the Director of the Center for Multiunit Studies (CMIS) at the Naval Postgraduate School where he is an Associate Professor since 2011. A United States Navy Captain, he was previously responsible for program management of an extensive R&D portfolio (2009-2011) at the National Reconnaissance Office, Advanced Systems and Technologies Directorate. He was also the Senior Naval Space Systems Engineering Duty Officer SPAWAR Space Field Activity and served as Senior Community Mentor and Certifying Officer for all space-qualified and designated Naval Engineering Duty Officers. His prior Navy experience includes assignments with the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq as Commander, Operations Chief; National Reconnaissance Office, Advanced Systems and Technologies Directorate, Commander, Program Manager responsible for the execution of classified space and ground-based advanced technology demonstrations, and the Navy, Strategic Systems Program, responsible for all in-factory rocket motor development, production and operational support of the Navy's TRIDENT II missile systems. In addition, he has served as the Assistant for Arms Control to the Director, Strategic Systems Programs, responsible for all aspects of implementation and compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). From 1989 to1994 he served as a Submarine Officer assigned to COMSUBGRU TEN, serving aboard the USS Spadefish (SSN-668). He has earned four degrees: PhD, Electrical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, 2005; MS with Distinction, Electrical Engineering, Naval Postgraduate School, 1997; MBA, Brenan University, 1994 and BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Florida 1987.

• Jihane Mimih

  is the Director of Programs for the Center for Multiunit Studies (CMIS) and a Research Assistant Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. Since 2017 she has been directing research programs in CMIS and conducting research in the areas of maritime domain awareness, anomaly detection, data fusion, quantum optics, and quantum sensing. As director, she oversees program development, center business operations, and execution of research and academic programs in intelligence integration, space systems, data fusion, and technology reconnaissance. She has organized and led focused colloquia and meetings comprised of faculty members, industry, intelligence agencies, and project managers to identify viable sources of data that can be used to enhance key research efforts. Prior to 2017, Dr. Mimih worked as a physicist for the Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River, MD, Acoustics Division where she conducted research in theoretical physics to solve outstanding antisubmarine warfare problems focusing on the use of non-acoustic tools. She also performed basic research in the fields of quantum optics and quantum information sciences with the goal of improving the sensitivity of quantum sensors and developing quantum networking relevant to Navy applications.

• Will Williamson

  is currently an Associate Research Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), where he supports the NPS Center for Multi-INT Studies in the Washington, DC region. His current research interests are in applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to various defense and intelligence applications including cyber intrusion detection, characterization of social media influence operations, distributed cognition for small satellite constellations, and multi-sensor/multi-platform ISR systems. Dr. Williamson began his career as a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps and Army National Guard, with corollary duties as logistics officer and intelligence officer. He earned his PhD in experimental condensed matter physics from the University of Toledo while working full-time in support of DARPA programs at the Special Purpose Processor Development Group for the Mayo Foundation. Will spent the next 25 years supporting DoD and the Intelligence Community. He has worked extensively with the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA), in a variety of roles over 15 years. He has worked for Center for Naval Analysis, Institute for Defense Analysis, DARPA, and MITRE Corporation on research projects for each of the Armed Services and several intelligence agencies. He has worked on multi-sensor fusion for detection of naval mines, landmines, and other tactical and strategic targets, has worked on sensor technologies including lidar and vertically interconnected sensor arrays. He has also worked extensively in cognitive systems to support dynamic sensor tasking. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Strategic Intelligence at Patrick Henry College.