SECTION 1 - OVERVIEW
1.1.4 Technical Architecture Models
The Airborne Reconnaissance (AR) Annex to the Department of Defense Joint Technical Architecture (JTA) mandates the minimum set of standards and guidelines for C4ISR systems relating to manned and unmanned AR systems. The annex provides the technical foundation for migrating AR systems towards the objective architecture identified in the Integrated Airborne Reconnaissance Strategy and in the various program plan documents of the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO). (Published DARO documents can be found at http://www.acq.osd.mil/daro on the World Wide Web.)
This AR Annex adds standards required for the airborne reconnaissance domain and is meant to complement both the JTA and the DII COE as shown in Figure 1-1. The JTA (including the AR annex) and the Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment (DII COE) supply the high level guidance to the two standards handbooks governing AR systems: the Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA) Standards Handbook, and the Common Imagery Ground/Surface System (CIGSS) Acquisition Standards Handbook. These standards handbooks provide the most specific guidance for implementing the airborne efforts of the IMINT and SIGINT communities and their corresponding umbrella programs. Airborne MASINT standards will eventually be documented in the Joint Airborne MASINT Architecture (JAMA).
The DoD JTA AR Annex will be maintained by DARO through cooperation with the Architecture Coordination Council (ACC) and its associated steering groups and working groups. Questions or comments concerning technical details presented in this annex may be submitted to the ACC or directly to DARO.
Figure 1-1: AR Annex Relationship
to Other Standards Documents (98k)
The AR Annex supports four mutually supporting objectives that provide the framework for meeting warfighter requirements. First, the AR Annex provides the foundation for seamless flow of information and interoperability among all airborne reconnaissance systems and associated ground/surface systems that produce, use, or exchange electronic information. Second, it establishes the minimum set of standards and technical guidelines for development and acquisition of new, upgraded, and demonstration systems to achieve interoperability; with reductions in costs and fielding times that would be unachievable without a technical architecture. Third, it ensures interoperability with warfighter C4I systems and enables development of new or alternative connectivities and operational plans for specific mission scenarios for airborne reconnaissance systems. Finally, it provides the framework for attaining interoperability with space-based and other intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.
The airborne reconnaissance domain constitutes only a part of the larger surveillance and reconnaissance part of C4ISR. As such, this annex does not cover technical architecture details for any other part of the C4ISR spectrum other than the airborne reconnaissance portion. The annex has been derived from the most recent published DARO technical architecture document called the Airborne Reconnaissance Information Technical Architecture (ARITA). This annex supersedes all draft and published versions of the ARITA. Future DARO technical architecture development and standards identification will merge within the greater C4ISR structure of the JTA.
The ARITA was the first attempt to consolidate all known airborne reconnaissance technical standards into a single document. The Airborne Reconnaissance Technical Architecture Working Group (ARTAWG) had representatives from the sensor, platform, communications, ground stations, and collection management/mission domains planning to consolidate AR standards. Based on the ARTAWG work, DARO published the ARITA in September 1996. The DARO promoted the ARITA as a stand-alone reference that incorporated much of the work from the JTA, TAFIM, and others, that applied towards airborne reconnaissance. In addition it also contained many standards that were unique to AR. During this time, the proliferation of numerous architectures was addressed by both ASD(C3I) and OSD(A&T). The ARITA was recognized as unique because it addressed both the C4I and acquisition aspects of airborne reconnaissance systems and was deemed as a "pathfinder" for the larger architecture consolidation efforts within the DoD. As such, the Director DARO elected to migrate the ARITA to the JTA and discontinue publication of the ARITA as a stand-alone document.
1.1.4 Technical Architecture Models
As strictly defined by the C4ISR Integrated Architecture Panel, C4ISR Architecture Framework, "architectures" address multiple aspects crossing the boundaries of operational, technical, and system level architectures. The AR Annex focuses on the technical architecture level and specifically identifies only those standards that have a direct bearing on airborne reconnaissance systems.
In order to achieve the desired focus, the AR Annex uses a different reference model than the JTA technical reference model (TRM). This model variant is the AR Functional Reference Model (FRM). The complementary FRM and TRM frameworks (or perspectives) are used to present and discuss the technology and information standards selected for virtually any C4ISR system. The TRM, as derived from the TAFIM, is primarily a software-based model. It was originally developed for covering information technology within the DoD. Domain-specific standards, such as those required to cover all of airborne reconnaissance, do not fit fully within a software-based model. The FRM has therefore been adopted by DARO to encompass the airborne reconnaissance standards. It is used as a standards traceability matrix between the DARP architectures. The FRM depicts the generic, functional makeup of airborne reconnaissance systems and shows how the various functions are interrelated. It is particularly well suited for showing which specific technology standards apply to each functional area.
1.1.4.1 Background for the Functional Reference Model
The AR FRM provides a common framework for defining the scope and functional makeup of airborne reconnaissance systems. The FRM is critical for selecting standards and effectively depicting where they must be applied in the overall framework. Based on the functional model developed by the JASA working group and approved by the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Steering Committee (DARSC), the FRM incorporates additional functions found in IMINT and MASINT systems, explicit mission planning and control functions, and expanded communications functions for integrating airborne reconnaissance with warfighter and other C4I systems (e.g., command and control systems, air tasking, and collection management). The AR FRM is shown in Figure 1-2.
Figure 1-2: AR Functional Reference
Model (33k)
In addition to this technical architecture, the DARO uses both operational and systems architectures to define and lead airborne reconnaissance systems. Both the operational and systems architectures will examine airborne reconnaissance using a functional flow approach. In each of these evolving architectures, there must be traceability back to standards as defined in this AR Annex FRM. Where the operational functional flow or the system functional flow cannot be traced back to a set of standards (i.e., a "block" as shown in the FRM illustration), the FRM will require updating. Similarly, where the FRM blocks cannot be traced to both an operational component and a system component, the operational or system architecture model will require updating. Thus, the FRM model, as used in the airborne reconnaissance technical architecture described in this annex, will provide a cross-comparison capability with other DARO architecture models.
The AR FRM is a generic model intended to show only functional flow; it does not depict actual implementations of airborne reconnaissance systems. The generic model is intended to encompass all aspects of an airborne reconnaissance architecture that will meet the needs of manned aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as well as their sensors and associated ground/surface systems. The AR FRM shown in Figure 1-2 breaks out the overall functional components into seven distinct areas:
­ Front-end processing functions
­ Navigation, timing, and ancillary data
­ Networking functions
­ High performance processing functions
­ Operator-oriented processing functions
­ Reporting and connectivity functions
­ System planning and control functions