All-Source Track and Identity Fuser (ATIF)

ATIF was originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with development and integration continuing under several programs for the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and customers in the intelligence community.

ATIF enables tracking and identification by fusing radar moving target indicators (MTI), image intelligence (IMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), video, and other sources of kinematic and classification data. The fuser receives contact or track report data input and produces all-source tracks output by associating the input tracks and the corresponding kinematic and attribute state information.

From a tracking perspective, ATIF has two primary benefits. First, it improves track continuity, enabling the user to maintain target track longer by associating contacts and track fragments from multiple sources. This feature aids situation estimation by reducing the number of track fragments an analyst must interpret.

Second, ATIF improves state estimates. Target classifications are improved through fusion of classification information across intelligence sources and over time. For example, MTI-based mover tracks can be provided with target classification information by association to SIGINT or IMINT tracks that are far easier to classify. Kinematic state estimates are also improved by fusion of kinematic information across source and over time. For example, SIGINT tracks can be associated with MTI and IMINT tracks, significantly improving knowledge of the SIGINT intercept origins.

Originally, BAE Systems applied ATIF to track-to-track fusion problems in the ground tracking domain. It is now applied to both report-to-track fusion and track-to-track fusion problems, and to surface, ground, air, missile, and space domains for a broad range of customers.