Distributed Common Ground Systems

Abstract

The DoD Distributed Common Ground/Surface System (DCGS) Program is a cooperative effort between the Services and National Agencies to provide world-wide ground/surface systems capable of receiving, processing, exploiting, and disseminating data from airborne and national reconnaissance sensors/platforms and commercial sources. The DCGS program is developing a family of systems capable of supporting all levels of conflict, interoperable with reconnaissance platforms and sensors, and integrated into the Joint Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) environment. The program integrates architectures and standards from DCGS Imagery architecture for Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA) for Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Joint Airborne Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) Architecture (JAMA) for MASINT, and all-source analyses to Combat Air Forces and Combatant Commanders. The Air Force has been charged by DoD with developing, upgrading and managing the DCGS Integration Backbone (DIB) for all the Services to provide common DCGS enterprise services and interoperability at the data level. DCGS provides the Air Force ground systems capable of tasking intelligence sensors, and receiving, processing, exploiting, and disseminating data from airborne and national reconnaissance platforms and commercial sources. AF DCGS is a 'system of systems' interconnected by a robust communications structure to provide data sharing capabilities between intelligence collectors, exploiters, producers, disseminators, and users. AF DCGS has multiple core locations, CONUS and OCONUS based. Several other AF DCGS systems are distributed among Air Force operational units at Numbered Air Force and Air National Guard locations, to support Joint Task Force commanders and Air Operations Centers (AOC). The CONUS based systems are capable of reach back operations via data link relay and satellite relay connectivity to forward operating sensors. AF DCGS provides critical data and significant support for Time Sensitive Targeting (TST) operations. This support will be enhanced with the integration of software tools and data interfaces to process and exploit data from new/upgraded sensors, by the demonstration and integration of enhanced fusion/exploitation aid technologies and by the transformation of AF DCGS to a net centric, service oriented architecture construct. By converting from a stovepipe system of systems to a web based integrated net centric Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) management capability, AF DCGS will provide the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) the capability to: 1) dynamically visualize and command ISR assets and the information in the AOC 2) quickly and effectively synchronize AF DCGS ISR operations, collection capabilities, and information with the AOC's combat objectives to improve the TST process and reduce timelines. Using the DIB, AF DCGS modernization will transform AF DCGS from its existing proprietary system to a net centric service oriented architecture. This modernization effort, implemented on the fielded baseline, will deliver a net centric DCGS capability for the Air Force. AF DCGS will modernize through sustainment by integrating the necessary technologies and tools to provide increased capabilities and meet emerging and urgent user operational needs. These efforts will also integrate commercial and government fact-of-life version upgrades to provide current technologies and achieve necessary application and services. The next series of upgrades will meet the operational need to integrate new and/or improved sensor capabilities and enhance interoperability by migrating to a service oriented architecture and improving data sharing ability in compliance with DoD direction. AF DCGS will continue to modernize its network management and interface capabilities by upgrading and migrating its network to a standardized interface configuration which is easy to expand and adapt to new technologies while growing capacity requirements. Efforts will also focus on network management systems and the ability to manage critical bandwidths to meet operational surges and distributed ops requirements. The program will also provide a capability to efficiently compress and decompress airborne ISR sensor data and transmit real/near-real time over existing data/communications links to tactical users. The DCGS Imagery (DCGS-I) Testbed is an integration and test environment, which is used by the Services and Agency program offices to conduct integration of DCGS components and test interoperability interfaces with new sensors, applications, and net centric operations. This testbed also supports the integration and testing of DoD DCGS components prior to introduction into the operational environment. Upgrades to the DCGS-I Testbed will ensure it maintains current with DCGS standards and architecture. AF DCGS participates in the development, testing, and implementation of international standards (to include NATO standardization agreements) to ensure joint, allied, and coalition interoperability. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 0305208F_7_3600_PB_2012
• Change Summary Explanation: In FY12, funding increased for further integration of sensors/platforms into AF DCGS.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Human Systems
• Materials and Manufacturing Processes
• Sensors
• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Air National Guard
• Compression
• Computing System Architectures
• Cost Analysis
• Data Compression
• Ground Control Stations
• Imagery Intelligence
• Interoperability
• Measurement And Signature Intelligence
• National Guard
• Service Oriented Architecture
• Signals Intelligence
• Software Development
• Standards
• Warfare

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Geospatial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence Analytics

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space