C4ISR Capability Research Articles

ESTRATÉGIA NORTE-AMERICANA PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL MILITAR: UM HORIZONTE DE CURTO PRAZO (2020-2030)

This article analyses the US Department of Defense initiative formalized in the Summary of the 2018 Department of Defense Artificial Intelligence Strategy. The conclusion is that the US emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence to expand C4ISR capabilities (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance) and the denunciation of “ethical risks’’ involving Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) are narrative strategies aimed at dealing in the short term with the inability of the US technology agencies to master autonomous military platform technologies and with the Russian resolve on the development of these lethal autonomous military platforms.

Based on Capability of C4ISR Architectural Modeling and Analysis

C4ISR system is complex system. Such systems architecture and complex needs of many. Then complex system’s capability requirements are difficult to catch. Description of capability requirements are usually imprecise and do not support architecture analysis. The paper uses an extended UML modeling technique to analyzing the requirements of C4ISR capabilities. It also introduces a new model convert domain model into the Description Logic ontology. Use Description Logic ontology description the standard DoD Architecture Framework, the proposed method may populate C4ISR architectural analysis.

Evolution of military information management: The transformation of military organisation often neglects the culture and maturity of its information management

<i>Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has made major advances in linking physical dimension through information to cognitive dimension as described by John Perry et al. (2004) in their model for Information Superiority. The information technology linkage between the physical and cognitive dimensions has created new ways of effect both for the red and blue force.</i><br><br> <i>The paper focuses on the information dimension and searches for better models to describe the structure of blue force information, especially from the Enterprise Architecture (EA) approach. Enterprise Architecture has been developed to better communicate the complex structures of military capabilities. Major EA frameworks (TOGAF, DODAF) recognise the layer of information between business and technology, but in practice, the focus turns more to the technology as has happened in several Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Information, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and Enterprise Resource Management (ERM) programmes. The paper develops a tool for architects to use in measuring the maturity of information management in the current military organisation and in defining the possible paths of evolution in information management available for the military.</i><br><br> <i>The outcome of this paper is a roadmap picturing the evolution of military information management. Enterprise Architects may use the roadmap in analysing and developing both C4ISR and ERM capabilities in military organisations. The primary research question for this paper is: What may cause so many failures in defining Enterprise Architecture at information management level and then in implementing C4ISR and ERM tools?</i><br><br> <i>The paper first defines six stages for management of unstructured information from various former studies and information architecture models (Cook, 1996). The basic stages of evolution of unstructured information are defined as print, file, page, social media content, semantic content, and intelligent content.<i><br><br> <i>These six stages and a generic military structure are processed through an evolutionary model derived from evolutionary theory for technical development described by Joel Mokyr (1998). The Mokyr model helps to recognise the paths of evolution, the forces that may influence the development and the ways that have been taken in achieving goals.</i><br><br> <i>The outcome is a roadmap that describes the evolution of past and possible future for military information management and explains different drivers and constraints on roads. The roadmap is aligned with other similar roadmap tools Enterprise Architects are using. The roadmap is further tested against experiences gained from several C4ISR and ERM focused military transformations. The overall research approach follows the hypothetico- deductive model (Brody, 1993) and the roadmap part applies the theory of evolution in sociotechnical systems (Bertalanffy, 1969).<i><br><br> <i>Military organisations have followed the general evolutionary path (print – file – page – social media content – semantic – intelligent content) in developing their management of unstructured information. The general path includes two definite leaps that require more effort: 1) from files to pages, and 2) from unstructured content to more structured content. There have also been more discrete shortcuts together with downgrades defined by cultural and doctrinal powers of the force.<i><br><br> <i>Meanwhile, it is possible to accelerate evolution by taking shortcuts. A consistent effort to change technology, processes, and people at the same time is needed when, for example, taking force from publish-pull pages to semantic information management. It might be easier to start with structured information and then, gradually, include unstructured information.</i><br><br> <i>Strong forces may also pull back already achieved development if the change has not been made to stick properly. Losing the thin trust for shared information management early in implementation may prevent individuals from sharing for a long time. Not providing the expected level of availability of the service for the knowledge base may lose the confidence of process owners.</i><br><br> <i>Since information is essential for cognitive level sense making, decision making, and learning, Enterprise Architects should include information maturity in their roadmaps of technical and business process development. The roadmap for military information management is to help analysis of the current situation and provide possible paths towards future stages aligned through business, information, and technical layers.<i><br><br> <i>The research in this paper only covers the approach of evolution. The systems and business strategy approached are studied in other papers. This article does not illustrate the integrated roadmap of business, information, and technology, which can be found in further papers by the writers. The research is based mainly on qualitative data in proving the roadmap. There is room for further assurance when the information sharing cultures of the military are enabling it.</i>

Space, War, and Deterrence: A Strategy for India

ABSTRACTIndia must accept and deal with the reality that conflicts and wars in today’s world will be driven by the increasing interdependence between conventional, nuclear, and space war. The role of space-based command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) assets, complemented by other ground- and space-based space situational awareness (SSA) components, is critical for deciding on the new national strategy for waging war and for the deterrence of war. Increasingly, the U.S.-China space dynamic determines the evolution of the global space order. To translate these challenges into an operational capability, India requires, at a minimum, a four-fold increase in capability to launch satellites into various orbits every year. The integration of C4ISR and SSA capabilities into a seamless network that facilitates real-time action is the key organizational and institutional component of the new strategy. More than the technology initiatives, the implementation of this strategy necessitates a clear aspiration on the part of India that it does have an important role to play on the global stage, and that it will carry out the organizational and institutional reforms for defending its national interests and national security.

A Novel Approach for C4ISR Requirements Elicitation

The capability-oriented requirements elicitation is an emerging research topic of requirements engineering, especially for complex system such as the C4ISR system. One of the problems is that the capability requirements are usually articulated in natural languages and need to be formally specified to support enterprise architecture analysis. The paper proposes a framework for modeling the domain requirements of C4ISR capabilities and suggests an extended UML modeling technique. As the modeling framework accords with the standard DoD Architecture Framework, the proposed method may populate C4ISR architectural analysis.

Domain-specific modeling and verification for C4ISR capability requirements

An approach was proposed to specify the C4ISR capability of domain-specific modeling language. To confine the domain modeling within a standard architecture framework, formally a C4ISR capability meta-ontology was defined according to the meta-model of DoD Architecture Framework. The meta-ontology is used for extending UML Profile so that the domain experts can model the C4ISR domains using the C4ISR capability meta-concepts to define a domain-specific modeling language. The domain models can be then checked to guarantee the consistency and completeness through converting the UML models into the Description Logic ontology and making use of inference engine Pellet to verify the ontology.

Capability requirements modeling and verification based on fuzzy ontology

The capability requirements of the command, control, communication, computing, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems are full of uncertain and vague information, which makes it difficult to model the C4ISR architecture. The paper presents an approach to modeling the capability requirements with the fuzzy unified modeling language (UML) and building domain ontologies with fuzzy description logic (DL). The UML modeling constructs are extended according to the meta model of Department of Defense Architecture Framework to improve their domain applicability, the fuzzy modeling mechanism is introduced to model the fuzzy efficiency features of capabilities, and the capability requirement models are converted into ontologies formalized in fuzzy DL so that the model consistency and reasonability can be checked with a DL reasoning system. Finally, a case study of C4ISR capability requirements model checking is provided to demonstrate the availability and applicability of the method.

NC3A as a platform to support C4ISR capabilities development for the Comprehensive Approach

A model for cooperative capability development among NATO and Partner Nations in support of the Comprehensive Approach for crisis management is presented. The 'Comprehensive C4ISR Approach' (Command, Control, Com- munications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) through NC3A could be a useful instrument, not only for operationalizing the Comprehen- sive Approach for crisis management, but also for change management across all of NATO, positioning the agency as a platform for collaborative capability develop- ment and service provision. It will help in: addressing the requirements of the Inte- grated Security Sector as a whole (more than just those of defence structures); pro- viding coordinated support throughout the full life cycle of C4ISR capabilities, and combining diverse funding streams. This approach is supported by several newly available tools and venues for coordination. These could help match top-down re- quirements with bottom-up solutions to strengthen interoperability in secure en- vironments for many players - NATO, Partner Nations, and other international or- ganizations, including those associated with the EU or the UN. In turn, this ap- proach could lead to a platform, based on Network of Excellence on C4ISR, al- though full realization of the Network will require significant organizational inno- vation and change management.

NATO-EU Cooperation on C4ISR Capabilities for Crisis Management

This paper addresses enabling solutions to enhance the NATO and EU cooperation facing the new emergency threats that characterize current crisis sce- narios. Military and civilian actors are required to work together and cooperate in Crisis Management, using state-of-the-art capabilities for solving societal crises in order to prevent the escalation to conflict and to avoid or alleviate the consequences of natural or man-made disasters. However, technical shortfalls and political issues still hamper the integration and cost-effectiveness use of NATO and EU capabili- ties. The NEC/Web-2 concept can enable interoperability between NATO and EU; military support of C4ISR capabilities to civilian authorities cooperating in both civil emergencies and crisis management could be the key driver to overcome the political issues that still undermine NATO and EU cooperation and therefore a pragmatic approach to pooling and sharing of capabilities, thus preventing duplica- tion of efforts. Following the principles of C4ISR Comprehensive Approach, this article highlights the initiative of NC3A—the NEC architect for NATO—to support multi-national and interagency interoperability for civil-military cooperation in co- ordination with NATO OPS Division and relevant EU and international govern- mental and non-governmental bodies involved in Crisis Management/Civil Emer- gency operations. It also outlines enabling cooperation areas such as Science and Technology, regional cooperation and joint exercises in crisis management.

A Network-Centric Approach to Maritime Domain Awareness

The Integrated Deepwater System's C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance) system is a critical element in the U.S. Coast Guard's efforts to modernize its aging force structure and implement its maritime strategy for homeland security. >> Conceived during the 1990s, the fully implemented Deepwater program will consist of three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new and upgraded fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, a combination of new and upgraded helicopters, both cutter-based and land-based unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and highly improved systems for C4ISR and advanced logistics capabilities. Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman) is Deepwater's partner in industry and systems integrator. >> Deepwater's C4ISR capability improvements will contribute to higher levels of maritime domain awareness (comprehensive information, intelligence, and knowledge of all relevant entities within the U.S. maritime domain, and their respective activities, that could affect U.S. security, safety, economy, or environment). The Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) will play an important role in transforming the Coast Guard to meet the nation's 21st-century maritime-security requirements