Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems

Abstract

Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (AF DCGS) (AN/GSQ-272) weapon system is the Combat Air Force (CAF)'s primary Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) node providing global orchestration, sense-making, indications & warning, and dissemination of a multitude of sensor data. The AF DCGS mission is to provide Joint Task Force (JTF) Commanders, Joint and Combined Air Component Commanders (JFACC/CFACC), Combatant Commands, and other-directed organizations with global, time-sensitive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data and fused multi-Intelligence (Multi-INT) products across the spectrum of military operations. The AF DCGS weapon system provides capabilities required to connect, direct, and exploit sensors, as well as transform multi-source/multi-domain data into actionable intelligence to find, fix, and target adversary forces and enable simultaneous kill chains at the speed and scale of peer conflict. AF DCGS is also a major component of the DoD intelligence infrastructure and a key provider/consumer of the sensing grid and Joint All Domain Command and Control (C2) (JADC2) & Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) efforts. AF DCGS enables ABMS and JADC2 success through its resilient architecture, survivable Command and Control (C2), robust communication capabilities, and rapid sensor integration to support the Combatant Commanders. AF DCGS is a Multi-INT, federated weapon system capable of exploiting intelligence data from manned platforms, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), non-traditional ISR platforms, national and commercial satellites, and other collection systems. AF DCGS as the primary C2ISR node has access to a multitude of sensors and data across the Intelligence Community, to include Publicly Available Information (PAI). AF DCGS Analysts leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), Automation and Augmentation (AAA) technologies to focus their review/analysis of multi-source/multi-domain intelligence across the tactical/national sensor grid and within federated databases to enable target and problem centric, sensor-agnostic analysis and exploitation to address Joint operational requirements by providing a common means to provide intelligence to field commanders and in support of the Air Operations Center (AOC) and targeting mission requirements, and supports sensor to shooter and the kill chain across the full range of military operations. The DCGS analysts use all available data sources and emerging capabilities to enhance their understanding of intelligence/targeting problem sets and provide the required intelligence. Currently, AF DCGS is composed of eight core sites (two active duty worldwide, three active duty regional and three Air National Guard regional), six SIGINT Distributed Mission Sites (four collocated with National Mission Partner sites), three Air National Guard full-motion video sites, and four integration and test sites connected by robust, resilient communications infrastructure, to support Near-Peer competition/contested environments. AF DCGS currently supports ongoing operations from forward deployed and in-garrison CONUS and OCONUS-based locations. In alignment with DoD and AF direction, AF DCGS migrated to an open, resilient platform as a service architecture to rapidly incorporate modern technologies and tools, hybrid cloud capabilities, new/improved sensor capabilities, and mission applications to meet emerging and urgent operational needs. Additionally, DCGS conforms with USD(I&S)'s efforts to improve data sharing through its Common Data Fabric (CDF), as well as the Space Force's efforts with its Unified Data Library (UDL). AF DCGS integrates services and applications from both commercial-off-the-shelf and government-off-the-shelf sources to the maximum extent possible to fulfill operational requirements and data sharing requirements across the DoD DCGS community. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, and 0606398F. In FY23, $0.460M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY24, $1.132M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. 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, 2025
• Source ID: 0305208F_7_3600_PB_2025
• Change Summary Explanation: In FY 2025, the increase of $42.989M is for the Air Force DCGS Program to improve the Hybrid Cloud capability for on-premise and commercial cloud access to data and applications.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

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

• AI & ML
• AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space