High Performance Computational Environment for Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation

Modern design development and testing relies heavily on modeling and simulation (M&S). Today hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation provides substantial savings to Navy systems designers. In particular, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center´s (NUWC) Weapons Analysis Facility (WAF) provides these simulation capabilities for undersea weapon systems. The WAF has been designed to interface with weapon controllers and sensor packages to permit full spectrum testing from individual components through complete closed loop combat scenarios. These virtual scenarios address realistic acoustic propagation environments around the world containing the expected threat platforms, their countermeasures and related tactics. To address the performance of our torpedoes in the new environment required the improvement of hardware-in-the-loop test capability. The improved simulation requirements are being met by the incorporation of range-dependent (spatially varying physical properties in 2D) narrowband acoustic propagation in the near term and broadband/3D propagation capabilities in the mid/long term. Just the introduction of the currently being evaluated range-dependent capability has severely impacted our computational resources. The Dedicated High Performance Computer Project Investment (DHPI) awarded for torpedo hardware-in-the-loop modeling and simulation has enabled NUWC to commence incorporation of the limited range-dependent capability into our current torpedo simulation with full 2D range-dependence. Additionally, the DHPI award has allowed the WAF to revisit its reverberation generation algorithm and design a significantly superior method that is currently being integrated. It is the purpose of this paper to show how the DHPI award has allowed the WAF to begin its attainment of the immediate goals as well as clearly illuminate the path to our subsequent objectives