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Track Management
A component in the T-Core software complex
Track Management
The real-time capability of the T-core platform is
centered around the Track Management (TM)
component. The purpose of TM is to form a total
situation picture based on the information received from
all available sensors and data links. TM manages radar
tracks, radar plots, jam strobes and EW-lines:
•
Radar tracks represent objects detected by
connected radars. The radars assign reference
number, position, speed, course, tracking
quality and possibly other properties to the
tracks. TM may get track input on the same
physical object from different radars, in which
case TM performs correlation of the tracks.
Tracks that correlate are fused and all available
information is assigned to the fused track. Track
correlation can be performed automatically,
manually or assisted by the operator.
Correlation criteria are configurable. TM can
also handle non-real time tracks, i.e. tracks that
are initiated and updated manually.
Radar 1
Radar 2
TM
Radar 1
Airpicture
Radar 2
Airpicture
Correlated
Airpicture
Track correlation
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•
Radar plots represent single radar observations.
A plot consists of a time stamped position and it
is not correlated with other observations. Plots
are saved for presentation in the situation
display. TM can perform tracking when
receiving plots from a radar without tracking
capability.
•
Jam strobes are single radar observations
without range and they are uncorrelated like
plots. TM can perform triangulation when
receiving crossing jam strobes on the same
object from radars at different positions.
Triangulation is automatic but initiation of
triangulated tracks is manual.
•
EW-lines represent objects detected by
Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM)
equipment. The ESM equipment assigns
reference number, azimuth and possibly other
properties to the EW-lines. TM can correlate
EW-lines with tracks and it can perform
triangulation when receiving crossing EW-lines
on the same object from ESM equipments at
different positions.
TM can assign track numbers to the tracks or use the
reference numbers assigned by the sensors. Tracks
received from other C2 systems via data link can be
correlated with the locally generated air picture and data
link track numbers can be assigned to the tracks so they
have the same reference at all C2 systems.
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TM makes it possible to present track history because
System Specification
old track positions can be saved. When no updates are
• Operating Systems:
received TM can perform prediction calculation of track
o Windows
positions, time-out of tracks, plots, jam strobes and EWlines and count down of track quality until time-out time.
o Solaris
A long time-out time of plots can be used to present echo
o Linux
trails.
• Hardware Specifications:
Each track belongs to one of the Link-16 categories:
The T-Core framework is designed to be able to
Space, Air, Surface, Subsurface and Ground and one of
run on hardware ranging from ruggedized
the Link-16 identifications: Friend, Hostile, Unknown,
laptops and other portable devices to dedicated
Neutral, Suspect, Assumed friend, Pending. TM is not
servers and workstations. Specific hardware
tied to the Link 16 values for category and identity, other
specifications will depend on the system load
values can be defined if so desired. In addition to
etc.
category and identification the track can have a number
of attributes. The set of attributes differs for the different
Environment
categories.
The TM component interacts with a few other
Tracks of category Space are characterized by having a
components. Radar input is received from radar control
predetermined trajectory. TM calculates this trajectory
components (RDR) and ESM input from ESM control
and the associated Point of Origin, Point of Impact and
components (ESM). The situation picture is delivered to
Circular Error Probable. The calculations are refined for
the human machine interface component (HMI) and
every track update.
operator controls of correlation, triangulation,
termination, etc. is received from HMI. Tracks and EW
Correlation criteria, triangulation criteria, time-out
lines are exchanged with other C2 systems via tactical
criteria, attributes, etc. differ for the different categories
data link components (TDL).
and for different sensors and they are easy to modify.
Currently TM has been configured for Space, Air,
Surface and Subsurface tracks and for a large number of
sensor types. The attributes currently supported are those
defined for Link-16. TM is a framework that can easily
be configured to new types of sensors, data links and
operational needs.
TM is not tied to one central server. The architecture is
distributed in order to ensure that there is no single point
of failure.
Interfaces
Components in the T-Core framework offer the
following interfaces:
•
•
Java, RMI
Sockets (TCP/UDP)
TM interaction with other components
Terma A/S
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8520 Lystrup
Denmark
T: +45 8743 6000
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