A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory is developing a metrics-based approach to evaluating the performance of uncrewed surface vehicles and their compliance with international regulations for preventing collisions at sea.

The Performance Analysis Toolset builds on previous APL research on quantifying good seamanship for unmanned surface vehicle performance evaluation and aims to perform objective evaluations based on subjective collision avoidance protocols, the research center said Wednesday.

“To develop the tool, we sat down with subject-matter experts, asked them what qualities they look for in navigation tests, studied the COLREGS and turned that information into quantifiable metrics,” said Mike Heistand, a systems engineer and senior analyst in APL’s force projection sector.

“From there, we can feed USV navigation data into our scoring algorithm and share results with the sponsor that are consistent and objective,” Heistand explained.

Under the sponsorship of the Naval Sea Systems Command Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office, APL is testing PAT’s validity by completing a Performance Analysis Toolset – Human Operator Comparison in collaboration with Surface Warfare School Command.

“We want to shed light on how assessments of both autonomous systems and humans may evolve to a new reality where both interact in the real world,” said Kathryn Lahman, program manager for advanced autonomy test and evaluation at APL.

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation to reform the federal security classification system to minimize overclassification and prevent the mishandling of sensitive government documents.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement published Wednesday that the Classification Reform Act of 2023 would designate the director of national intelligence as the “executive agent for classification and declassification” of national security information.

According to Wyden, it is highly important to “put someone in charge of modernizing the system so that records are tracked and then declassified and released when appropriate.”

“It is also critical that the rules that govern declassification of records be updated and strengthened and that the entities responsible for oversight of the system be empowered,” he added.

The legislation would: ensure that information remains classified when national security concerns outweigh the public interest, set a 25-year maximum period for classification and require a security review of presidential and vice presidential records.

As part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the U.S. will deliver a new $1.2 billion package focused on air defenses and artillery to the European nation.

Announced by Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder during a news conference, the package “underscores the continued U.S. commitment to meeting Ukraine’s most urgent requirements,” the Department of Defense reported on Tuesday.

Ryder said that this package represents “the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional, priority capabilities to Ukraine,” and will explore options of how to best support Ukraine.

The funds will procure additional 155 millimeter artillery rounds while providing sustainment support to boost Ukraine’s ability to maintain its on-hand systems and equipment.

Also included in the package are supplementary air defense systems and munitions equipment to incorporate Western air-defense launchers, missiles and radars with Ukraine’s air-defense systems. Already, Ukrainian forces have shown success in defeating Russian missiles.

Ammunition designed to defeat unmanned aerial systems, commercial satellite imagery services and training, maintenance and sustainment assistance will also be supplied.

The USAI’s mission is to fortify Ukraine’s medium- and long-range defenses. This presidential drawdown authority enables the U.S. to send equipment from the DOD inventory to the nation and allows the Pentagon to receive contracted equipment later.

Along with delivering air defense and munitions capabilities, the package will better equip Ukraine’s military to defend its territory and impede Russian aggression long-term, said Ryder.

Though supplies are important, equipment alone does not fully meet the battlefield’s demands. Currently, several countries are helping train Ukrainian forces. One ongoing initiative is a U.S. training program being conducted at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany.

“The United States will continue to work with our allies and our partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements,” said Ryder.

“We will be able to maintain that support and that capability to train Ukrainians as long as the demand is there,” he said.