Intel system transitions analysts into net-centric era

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass: The era of analysts who navigated through the world of intelligence data equipped with sticky notes and spreadsheets is being shelved to make room for a new set of tools that make use of Web-based applications.

That's what the 950th Electronic Systems Group, part of the Electronic Systems Center here, aims to ensure with its Air Force Distributed Common Ground System Block 10.2, which successfully completed its factory acceptance test last month. Immediately thereafter, work began to field this upgraded capability to the first of five Air Force DCGS sites.

The Air Force DCGS consists of global sites capable of receiving, processing, storing, correlating, exploiting and disseminating intelligence feeds from multiple sources.

"We knew that once we got through about the fourth engineering validation test, our confidence level of having a system that worked would skyrocket," said Maj. Mike Lauden, AF DCGS Block 10.2 program manager. "We couldn't believe the turnaround, going from a system that a year ago might lock up to (a system) that's screaming along, doing everything it's supposed to do."

The fifth and final validation test had to prove the functionality of the whole system. When it did, Major Lauden said that it actually proved much more, that in a span of five months, the team was able to put the AF DCGS re-design on contract, conduct the re-design, cycle through five validation tests and then finally reach validation with the acceptance test.

Block 10.2 differs from its legacy system predecessor in that it allows more data to be received, analyzed and shared, where previously the structure restricted information sharing and expandability.

"Basically, this means that this is the first time we've had an AF DCGS capability demonstrated in a net-centric environment that we can now take out to the field," he said.

AF DCGS Block 10.2 Lead Engineer Tom Butts said another key to reaching this milestone is the foundation for information sharing using net-centric service oriented architecture.

"We will now share our information and services with our intelligence agency partners," he said. "This moves us closer to meeting the president's Executive Order 13388, which directs federal agencies to enhance their sharing of information on any suspicions of terrorism."

Major Lauden likens the upgrade capability to accessing an online search engine and entering key words to filter through catalogs of information. A search using the words 'Baghdad airport' in combination with a specific date, for example, will recall and make available to users intelligence data relevant to that query.

An automated process also allows users with the proper permission levels to access data through Web portals and a multitude of security services.

The first installation at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., signaled a move toward bringing these capabilities into the hands of the warfighter.

"The work that has been done with DCGS has been huge," said Brig. Gen. Pete Hoene, former 350th Electronic Systems Wing commander. "We snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on this next-generation capability that will put us on the path to a net-centric capability for intelligence systems."

In addition to the site in California, AF DCGS is located in four other locations around the world:  Langley AFB, Va.; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Osan Air Base, Korea; and Ramstein AB, Germany. The next site to receive the Block 10.2 upgrade will be Ramstein AB.