MIT,
In today's global information age, technology is evolving rapidly.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) focused attention on the Department of Defense's increasing ability to gather, share and analyze information quickly, and then make rapid decisions based on that data. Information, access to it and how fast it can be delivered now determine combat power. In order to provide our warfighters the most accurate real-time information, they must have the latest command, control, communications, computer and intelligence systems to receive and move that data over secure links.
The key is to have this information move seamlessly within a chain of command and between the service commanders.
Since January 2003, when the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities was given the responsibility for DoD information technology issues, the subcommittee has and continues to wrestle with a myriad of the department's IT concerns. They include interoperability of various command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, stove-pipe systems, parochial interests, and redundant and non-interoperable systems, as well as capital planning investments in present and future IT systems.
While the subcommittee has found some improvements in the department's efforts to streamline its IT planning and acquisition process, there is still much work that needs to be done.
Presently, the department allows its individual military services, agencies and field activities to determine their own IT needs. This stove-piped approach has led to the confusing and complex C4ISR landscape that exists today. This environment has resulted in waste, redundancy and lack of interoperability in IT systems and capabilities for our warfighters.
The department needs to implement its Global Information Grid (GIG) architecture and ensure that all the military services, defense agencies and field activities have a fundamental understanding of how each of their IT systems fit into the GIG architecture.
OIF C4I Issues
Congress has heard first-hand from service personnel about lessons learned from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and OIF
