Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS-MC)

Abstract

This is a Military Intelligence Program (MIP) Program Element. Distributed Common Ground System-Marine Corps (DCGS-MC) is a critical Commandant of the Marine Corps Force Design program focused on Reconnaissance/Counter-Reconnaissance that senses and makes sense of the forward operating area; providing robust multi-intelligence processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) activities to include sensor fusion and correlation. As the forward sensing element of the maritime force, DCGS-MC provides the foundation for algorithmic warfare at the tactical edge pushing validated target quality information to enable global long range precision fires. DCGS-MC complies with the DoD DCGS Enterprise interoperability and information sharing requirements necessary for PED capabilities via consolidated functional servers, workstations, cloud computing, and advanced technological processing capabilities from a contested, tactical environment to the integrated Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Enterprise (MCISRE). DCGS-MC capabilities deliver tactically focused, operational, and strategic intelligence across all echelons of the Marine Corps at the tactical edge throughout all phases of operations to provide relevant, precise battlespace awareness, and threat characterization for the Joint Task Force, Naval Force, Marine Air-Ground Task Force, and subordinate Marine units in support of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and Distributed Maritime Operations. Modernization efforts are focused on advanced all-domain information environment tools, and technologies that enable superior awareness of the battlespace. The capabilities reduce the logistical and cognitive burden on the individual Marine by reducing size, weight, and power and provide advanced computing capabilities at the forward edge in a contested environment against a peer adversary. Current programmatic efforts support a multi-domain sensing architecture, organic sensing, mobile battlespace awareness, and increased integration with space and cyber systems. From the MCISRE to Naval Operations Architecture, DCGS-MC provides an enduring information advantage and the rapid weaponization of data to support enhancements to the kill web by streamlining information exchanges, federating track and sensor data for rapid analysis and exploitation, and increasing accessibility information across all levels of security classification. Maritime Targeting Cell-Expeditionary (MTC-X) details provided at a higher classification. The functional capabilities are grouped by DCGS-MC Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), DCGS-MC Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT), DCGS-MC All Source, Family of Integrated Targeting and Exploitation (FITE), and Publicly Available Information (PAI)/Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). Future capabilities will be delivered via clearly defined capability drops determined by an integrated assessment of user needs, technology readiness, risk mitigation, and affordability. DCGS-MC SIGINT fuses and analyzes SIGINT data from tactical, theater, and national collectors and databases for dissemination to tactical commanders. It automatically collects, stores, retrieves, and plays back digital signals and provides SIGINT analysis applications to deployable FMF units that direct and manage the technical and operational functions of Radio Battalion (RadBn) SIGINT and electronic warfare (EW) assets. DCGS-MC SIGINT consists of the Technical Control Analysis Center (TCAC) Remote Analysis Workstation (RAWS), and the Transportable Workstation (TWS) and is the focal point of RadBn, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) operations. It enables the analysis of tactical SIGINT collection and analytical data for ingest into Family of Integrated Targeting and Exploitation (FITE) for transfer to the tactical commanders on multiple security levels for discovery by any DCGS-MC enabled Marine. The system is also capable of processing of Electronic Warfare (EW) information including EW Support and Electronic Attack (EA) data collected by RadBn and JSF aircraft. DCGS-MC GEOINT informs and provides commanders at all echelons the ability to anticipate and react quickly to evolving situations and support fires to accurately identify, locate and prosecute targets within the area of operations. DCGS-MC GEOINT aggregates organic, theater, and national Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data providing the foundation for FITE to conduct advanced analytical processes that DCGS-MC GEOINT ingests for interrogation and validation to inform decision-makers and Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) of actionable targets. DCGS-MC GEOINT is the core capability of technical applications and geospatial algorithms that process, exploit, analyze, and produce geophysical information, products, and services which establish the geospatial foundation and common frame of reference for battlespace awareness, planning, and enhanced decision-making. DCGS-MC All Source facilitates global collaboration with Marine and joint analytical systems, enabling Marines to conduct multi-discipline intelligence fusion, analysis, production, and dissemination of intelligence in support of the Find, Fix, Track, Target and Assess process by automating multiple intelligence functions and processes. DCGS-MC All Source investment in advanced decision support tools that leverage data science and artificial intelligence for the tactical, naval, and joint force to enable the common battlespace awareness. These capabilities include the display of current enemy situation, collection requirement management, asset management, message parsing, and database updates. DCGS-MC All Source automatically ingests and normalizes data and provides access to intelligence produced by tactical, theater, and national systems and agencies for a fused holistic view of the battlefield. It facilitates the dissemination and exchange of intelligence and information with all echelons through tactical local area networks and wide area networks across the force. Family of Integrated Targeting and Exploitation (FITE) is an advanced multi-domain information standardization and exchange environment that provides access to, and transport for the MCISRE to the Naval Operations Architecture in order to provide information advantage and the rapid weaponization of data. FITE supports enhancements to the kill web by streamlining information exchanges, federating track and sensor data for rapid analysis, exploitation and processing for target engagement, and increases accessibility of information across all levels of security. Additionally, FITE supports long range precision fires and over the horizon targeting by providing a focal point for aggregation and fusion of national and theater sensors to enable data exchange with tactical SIGINT/EW assets, DCGS-MC All Source, DCGS-MC GEOINT, and edge computing environments. FITE implements advanced critical technologies such as MAVEN and MINOTAUR in order to reduce the analytical process, enable rapid prosecution of targets, and streamline intelligence support to operations. FITE implementation of advanced capabilities, coupled with the analytical tools within DCGS-MC provides the ideal coupling of intelligence, operations, and targeting to prosecute targets at machine speeds against peer adversaries. FITE also includes the Maritime Targeting Cell - Expeditionary (MTC-X), for which details are held at a higher classification level. The MINOTAUR system is an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform developed to aggregate independent sensors and operator interfaces into a single operational picture. MINOTAUR performs the automated correlation of multiple sources of data into a common user interface that provides enhanced situational awareness for operators. Additionally, MINOTAUR implements advanced analytic capabilities in order to identify and track targets of significance in dense operational environments. The result is a real time system that enables operators to locate and track specific targets of interests to support mission operations. MAVEN hardware and software is required to process multiple network video streams to provide real-time geo-rectification and geo-registration of imagery and perform Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Vision (CV) based detection, tracking, and classification of objects within video. The Technical Control and Analysis Center (TCAC) is a server- workstation combination that provides transportable, semi- automated Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) processing, analysis, and reporting to the Radio Battalions, Marine Corps Special Operations Command, and Marine Littoral Regiment. Technical Control and Analysis Capability Cross-Domain Solution enables the transfer of intelligence information across multiple domains to the tactical commanders for continued processing by the TCAC-General Services (GENSER). TCAC-GENSER fuses, analyzes, and disseminates SIGINT data from tactical, theater, and national assets to tactical commander. TCAC-GENSER receives intelligence production from the TCAC-RAW/TWS via the TCAC-CDS. PAI/OSINT capability, in collaboration with MARFORCYBER, will allow users to gather, enrich and analyze PAI in order to generate, preserve, deny and project information. With incremental progression the intent is to enable data sharing across the entire operational environment in a private cloud environment. Commanders and staff require a clear understanding of the Operational Environment to communicate, access, visualize, describe, and direct operations. Therefore, Marines must be able to efficiently access, gather, and exploit PAI by all available means. Adversaries often reveal vulnerabilities or intentions that the FMF can only exploit in the cognitive or information dimensions. There was no procurement funding in the previous years.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
• Source ID: 2268_0305208M_7_1319_PB_2024

Tags

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Geospatial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence Analytics
• Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.

Technology Areas

• AI & ML
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Cyber
• Microelectronics
• Space