A proposal for the transfer of a large force management expert system (FRESH) from the CINCPACFLT Command Center to the CINCLANTFLT Command Center

Abstract

The thesis investigates the transferability of an existing large expert system, FRESH, from its current arena of employment, the Command Center of the CINCPACFLT, to the Fleet Command Center of the CINCLANTFLT. The research is limited to the rules, heuristics and encoded knowledge used by the FRESH system and does cover interface issues. A literary review of expert system theory begins the thesis and analysis of the two fleets follows in succeeding chapters. System documentation is used to obtain a high level view of FRESH system rules, heuristics and encoded knowledge and these are then compared to Atlantic fleet manual procedures gained by the use of classical knowledge engineering techniques. The environment differences developed by these comparisons between the two fleets are cited and their possible implications on the systems transferability to the Atlantic fleet explored. The Thesis concludes with a suggested method of transfer to the Atlantic fleet in light of their lack of experience with automated scheduling systems and modifications to the existing system which will be required to allow its use in the Atlantic.