Bilateral Interoperability through Enterprise Architecture
Abstract
This paper addresses the important role of architecture planning for ensuring system interoperability in a network-centric coalition environment. As U.S. forces become more dependent upon coalition partners to support crises around the globe, systems interoperability becomes a major concern. This problem is more acute in the Pacific theater, where the United States has numerous bilateral agreements with allied nations and the degree of interoperability varies from country to country. A key to understanding interoperability shortfalls is documenting the "as is" architecture for each allied nation to identify key information exchange requirements for critical C2 nodes. Enterprise architecture planning considers both the tactical and strategic need for information exchange in supporting the organization's mission. This is especially true with the plethora of C4ISR systems scattered throughout the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) theater of operations where access to secure, quality data is vital to ongoing operations. HQ USPACOM recognized the need for documenting baseline architectures with the publication of USCINCPAC Instruction 2010-4. This instruction provided guidance to component commands on how to describe and construct systems and operational architectures. The Joint Forces Program Office was asked to assist with this effort at U.S. Alaskan Command (USALCOM) in the fall of 1999. The USALCOM architecture study, using a prototype version of the Joint C4I Architecture Planning System (JCAPS), illustrated the utility of having a clearer picture of the enterprise architecture described in common lexicon, and the need to consolidate the numerous architectures that had been developed in recent years. In this paper, the authors outline a practical strategy for consolidating existing C4ISR architectures. Using their practical architectural success at USALCOM, they suggest that this methodology can be applied across large, combined, theaters of operation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA468341
Entities
People
- Glen A. Catania
- J. D. Rosen
- John A. Hamilton Jr.
- John Melear
Organizations
- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command