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Circa 2010—An F-22 is flying at 25,000 feet over unfriendly territory. A multifunction color display portrays dynamically changing lines and colors based on assured command and control information developed at a small forward based- command center, relying on a robust integrated set of information. It enters the cockpit via a joint, automated secure data link. The result is a timely information environment that enables mission success and decreases risk. Both warfighting environments are information intense. Warfighters need access to fused information about the battlespace to be able to know the enemy’s whereabouts and capabilities, and to determine what weapons and friendly assets are available. This includes targeting, intelligence, and battle information and support information on supplies, transportation, and medical capabilities. They need communications and computing tools to be able to receive and understand the vast array of information, and they need dissemination, management, and security tools to enable the communications and computing to operate in the most effective manner. Today’s threats present a wide array of asymmetric challenges to warfighting capability across a variety of missions—joint, service, and in multinational environments. These missions are ongoing around the world in support of ad hoc military and civil organizations. The current information technology (IT) infrastructure no longer provides the best solution to meet the globally distributed information superiority needs of warfighters and sustainers within the increasingly important context of coalition operations. The Global Information Grid (GIG) will provide the joint and coalition warfighter with a single, end-to-end information system capability that includes a secure network environment, allowing users to access shared data and applications regardless of location, and is supported by a robust network/information-centric infrastructure. MITRE is supporting the development of the GIG Architecture. The GIG Architecture Approach
The GIG encompasses all of DoD’s warfighting, combat support, and business IT. Building a supporting architecture is a daunting task. MITRE has worked with the GIG architecture team to develop a highly streamlined approach to develop an integrated architecture. Many architectures currently exist in various forms. The GIG approach will leverage the existing architectures—even those still in progress—and is organized into three interrelated track activities: the Joint Operational Architecture (JOA), the Combat Support and Business Area Architectures, and the Communications and Computing System Architecture. MITRE believes providing a means to use existing architectures in a “plug and play” manner is essential to building this global enterprise view. The GIG architecture will be a blueprint of a current or postulated future configuration of resources, rules, and relationships. Three logically combined, mission-oriented architectural perspectives or views will be developed: an operational view, a systems view, and a technical view. To achieve the needed compatibility, flexibility, and interoperability, the GIG elements will be made available in a plug and play “toolbox” from which the required system configuration can be assembled. The blueprint will be substantive, but not prescriptive in detail. This will allow flexibility to accommodate local needs and innovation. Concurrent with DoD CIO-led development of the GIG architecture, U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) is developing the GIG Capstone Requirements Document (CRD). The purpose of the CRD is to describe the overarching capabilities and requirements for a globally interconnected, interoperable, and secured system of systems designed for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating, and managing information. JFCOM has a seat on the general officer-level GIG Architecture Integration Panel to ensure GIG architecture development and GIG CRD development are complementary. Transitioning from AS IS to TO BE Architectures To be of value to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), joint, and service decision makers, the OVs must delineate required joint warfare capabilities both now and in the future. This will enable DoD to develop valid SVs and procure the correct, capabilities-based, TO BE warfighting systems. A necessary element in creating a worldwide capability is a supportive, worldwide, joint, multinational procurement and investment approach. Defining TO BE architectures will require high-level, long-range OSD and military guidance and direction. MITRE is involved with developing an approach to address this transition and believes simulation will have a major role in the recursive definition and validation of both AS IS and TO BE operational and systems views. Definition of the TO BE architecture will require multiple iterations of executable AS IS and objective architectures that reflect the multiple worldwide futures that must be accommodated. This thorough approach to TO BE architecture development will contribute to development of a robust TO BE integrated architecture based on future warfare requirements. Summary For more information, please contact Alyson Miller using the employee directory. |
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Circa
2000—An F-15 is flying at 25,000 feet over unfriendly territory.
The aircraft’s multifunction color display portrays static lines
and colors specified by the pilot before takeoff. Command and control
information is developed over several hours at a large forward-based
command center, where the intelligence and other information is manually
aggregated and synthesized from multiple systems. It is sent to the
pilot through the Airborne Warning and Control System over a voice channel
that may or may not be jam resistant and secure. There is no change
to the multifunction color display. The result is a minimum capability
information environment with potential to turn a low-risk mission into
a high-risk mission.