Fast Tactical Integration Console (FAST TACTIC)

FAST TACTIC is designed to store, retrieve, and display ship-collected, historical, and gridded environmental data using a Java GUI into a relational database. New data may be compared to historical data from the same geographic area and time. Fast Tactic performs the following tasks:

1. Plot ownship, historical, and gridded-database vertical profile data (e.g. from CTDs, XBTs, submarine sound velocity sensors)

2. Plot along-track data (e.g., bathymetry, sediment thickness, ice thickness)

3. Compare ownship and historical data

4. Generate statistics to determine if data are within normal bounds

5. Automatically extract profiles when a submarine or UUV conducts a depth change

By providing access to all data acquired within a cruise, the user is able to synthesize a broad picture of a survey area. When a ship loiters in a particular region, the FAST TACTIC displays enable the user to see how the environment changes over time and across the region. The statistics function summarizes environmental conditions in mission/cruise reports.

Key Capabilities Include:

· Data readily accessible & displayed; some data collection is automated · Comparison of various data is made simple · Data interpretation is simplified · Data easily exported for easy turnover/handoff

FAST TACTIC systems have been successfully installed on US Navy submarines for evaluation. Manipulation of FAST TACTIC displays is simple. Selection of parameters for display on a chart/graph is made with the mouse, without ever typing on the keyboard.