{
  "metadata": {
    "title": "BLADE-SWARM: Authority Governance for Attritable Autonomous Swarms \u2014 Reference Architecture, Browser Simulator, Interface Control Document, and TLA+ Formal Specification",
    "upload_type": "publication",
    "publication_type": "workingpaper",
    "publication_date": "2026-05-18",
    "language": "eng",
    "version": "1.0",
    "access_right": "open",
    "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
    "creators": [
      {
        "name": "Oktenli, Burak",
        "affiliation": "AUTHREX Systems, Washington, DC, USA",
        "orcid": "0009-0001-8573-1667"
      }
    ],
    "description": "<p><strong>BLADE-SWARM</strong> is the AUTHREX Systems reference architecture for authority governance of attritable autonomous swarm operations at scales of N=10 (physical testbed baseline), N=50 (small-scale combined operation), and N=500 (DAWG-class).</p>\n\n<p><strong>Release contents (6 files):</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Working Paper</em> (PDF): ~22 pages covering motivation, system model, Byzantine-fault-tolerant sub-quorum consensus, simulation results, formal verification, and standards alignment.</li>\n<li><em>Browser simulator</em> (<code>blade-swarm-sim.html</code>): Single-file HTML/CSS/JS discrete-event simulator parameterised over N \u2208 {10, 50, 500}, with five scripted scenarios and live pipeline visualisation.</li>\n<li><em>TLA+ formal specification</em> (<code>AUTHREX_SWARM.tla</code>): Operational semantics of the protocol with five safety invariants and three liveness properties; model-checked on reduced-scale instance.</li>\n<li><em>Verification report</em> (<code>AUTHREX_SWARM_verification_report.md</code>): Model-checking results and safety property summaries.</li>\n<li><em>Simulation methodology</em> (<code>BLADE-SWARM_Simulation_Audit_v1.0.md</code>): Simulator design, assumptions, threat model validation, and test scenarios.</li>\n<li><em>Metadata</em> (<code>zenodo.json</code>): Deposit configuration and provenance.</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p><strong>Maturity:</strong> Technology Readiness Level 3\u20134 for the simulator and formal specification; TRL 2 (design only) for the physical testbed. All work is fundamental research, COTS-only. The architecture governs decision authority and audit; it does not govern weapons.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Cite as:</strong><br/>Oktenli, B. (2026). <em>BLADE-SWARM: Authority Governance for Attritable Autonomous Swarms</em> (Version 1.0) [Working paper, software, formal specification]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20351198</p>\n\n<p><strong>Distribution:</strong> Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.</p>",
    "keywords": [
      "AUTHREX",
      "MAIVA",
      "HMAA",
      "FLAME",
      "CARA",
      "SATA",
      "ADARA",
      "IFF",
      "ERAM",
      "autonomous systems",
      "swarm autonomy",
      "attritable autonomy",
      "Byzantine fault tolerance",
      "consensus protocols",
      "authority delegation",
      "audit ledger",
      "ECDSA",
      "hash chain",
      "DAWG",
      "Replicator",
      "AVO Prize Challenge",
      "Swarm Forge",
      "DoDD 3000.09",
      "FY26 NDAA",
      "NIST AI RMF",
      "TLA+",
      "formal methods",
      "model checking",
      "Interface Control Document",
      "ICD",
      "TRL 3",
      "BLADE-SWARM",
      "BLADE platform",
      "fundamental research"
    ],
    "subjects": [
      {
        "term": "Autonomous systems governance",
        "identifier": "https://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85010251",
        "scheme": "url"
      },
      {
        "term": "Distributed consensus",
        "identifier": "https://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85038371",
        "scheme": "url"
      }
    ],
    "communities": [
      {
        "identifier": "authrex"
      }
    ],
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    "notes": "Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Fundamental research published openly; commercial COTS components only; no munitions-list items; no weapons integration. The architecture governs decision authority and audit, not weapons. TRL 3-4 (simulation and formal specification); TRL 2 (physical testbed design only). No empirical claims beyond simulation. Companion working paper (WP-2026-08) deposited as primary publication; simulator, ICD, and TLA+ files included as ancillary research outputs.",
    "references": [
      "Oktenli, B. (2025). AUTHREX governance framework for autonomous systems. AUTHREX Systems.",
      "U.S. Department of Defense. (2026). DoD 2026 AI Strategy. Office of the Chief Digital and AI Officer.",
      "U.S. Department of Defense. (2024). DoD Directive 3000.09: Autonomy in Weapon Systems (Change 1).",
      "U.S. Congress. (2025). National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, \u00a71513.",
      "Defense Innovation Unit & U.S. Navy. (2026). Autonomous Vehicle Operations (AVO) Prize Challenge announcement.",
      "Castro, M., & Liskov, B. (1999). Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance. OSDI.",
      "Lamport, L. (1998). The part-time parliament. ACM TOCS.",
      "NIST. (2023). AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0). NIST AI 100-1.",
      "NIST. (2013). FIPS 186-4: Digital Signature Standard.",
      "NIST. (2015). FIPS 180-4: Secure Hash Standard."
    ]
  }
}