Purdue University Develops Software for US Missile Defense Agency

The US Department of Defense's Missile Defense Agency is working with researchers from Purdue University, to develop a new software that would be able to manage all incoming data in case of an enemy missile attack.

The goal of the researchers is to make an even more efficient and effective battle management, command and missile control system.

Daniel DeLaurentis, an associate professor in Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is the leader of the project and he is working with Saurabh Bagchi, an associate professor in Purdue's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“New software algorithms are needed to determine if it's a missile and what type, then engage our missile defense system to bring it down,” Bagchi explained.

The researchers need to create a computer software for 'enhanced command and control', that will mix information from radars, satellites, ships and reconnaissance aircraft, and will even include an aerospace modeling of the flight characteristics of the enemy missiles and interceptors.

The most important factor is speed – being able to intercept the missiles shortly after they have been launched is the key, according to DeLaurentis.

“Otherwise they fan out more and have greater opportunity to further complicate the engagement.

“Additionally, the closer they get to our friendly positions, the more you have to worry about additional factors like potentially dangerous debris.”

LTC Reid Vander Schaaf, the manager of the program said that “the key aspect we're reaching out to universities on is how to handle larger ballistic missile attacks, which we refer to as raid events.”

Another subsidiary mission that the researchers have, is to conceive this system in a way that it would resist any cyberattacks on the command and control computers.

Bagchi explained that the system will run on computers in forward combatant command areas and the command center back in the United States, with some algorithms originating at either point.

The team will include nearly 10 graduate students and two research scientists, PhysOrg reports.

This research is funded by a $1.2 million contract from the US Missile Defense Agency for a period of 15 months, and is thought to continue for another three years, with a total worth of $4.8 million.