1.1 Purpose of the USIGS Architecture Framework (UAF)

The United States Imagery and Geospatial Information System (USIGS) Architecture Framework document (UAF) provides a common framework of terminology and products needed to build the USIGS Architecture. The UAF implements the principles established in the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Architecture Framework to ensure an interoperable imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information system. The UAF responds to the Director of NIMA's responsibility to establish a system of end-to-end architectures related to imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information, in compliance with National and Defense Information Infrastructure guidance and standards. In addition, the document aids the Director in his efforts to prescribe and mandate standards and end-to-end technical architectures related to imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information for the DoD Components and for the non-DoD elements of the Intelligence Community. The UAF supports NIMA's role as a Combat Support Agency, as established in DoD Directive 5105.60, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). The UAF also provides for the development of an integrated set of operational, system and technical architectures which will be applied to determine interoperability requirements, promote standards and security, and achieve a common operating environment as part of the Defense Information Infrastructure, and in compliance with DoDD 8000.1, Management of Information and Information Technology.

1.1.1 Developing the USIGS Architecture

Joint Vision 2010 provides a conceptual template for channeling resources and technology to achieve new levels of effectiveness in joint warfighting. The template is focused on achieving dominance across the range of military operations through the application of new operational concepts; it provides a common direction for the Services in developing their unique capabilities within a joint framework of doctrine and programs as they prepare to meet the challenges and uncertainties of the future. Central to this vision of future warfighting are improvements in intelligence and command and control, which will provide the capability to gain the advantage over any adversary through achievement of information superiority: the capability to collect, process, and disseminate an uninterrupted flow of information while exploiting or denying the adversary's ability to do the same.

Two terms have been developed to assist in providing a context for architecture descriptions regarding the execution of the Director's responsibilities within NIMA, and the imagery and mapping community at large.
 

• Imagery and Geospatial Community (IGC): The composition of cooperating commands, services, agencies, and departments within the United States government, foreign governments, and private sector organizations involved in the acquisition, production and exploitation, and dissemination of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information. The IGC fosters extensive partnerships with others, including commercial and academic institutions, to collaboratively work together to share information.
• United States Imagery and Geospatial Information System (USIGS): The extensive network of systems used by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community that share and exploit imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information. These systems provide capabilities involved with the integrated management, collection, production, exploitation, dissemination and archive, and infrastructure of this information. Organizations which have some level of interface with USIGS, but are not part of DoD and the Intelligence Community, are considered participants in USIGS if they adhere to the technical and system standards.

The C4ISR Framework defines a common approach to ensure that the architecture descriptions developed by the Commands, Services, and Agencies are interrelatable between and among each organization's operational, systems, and technical architecture views. This also ensures architecture views are comparable and integratable across joint and combined organizational boundaries. It provides guidelines and defines a process that can be used across DoD, and by the IGC for developing architectures which focus support to the military, civil, and national customers. Use of the framework by DoD and IGC organizations ensures a common denominator for understanding, comparing, contrasting, and integrating architectures and is intended to bridge both current capabilities and future improvements. Application of this framework will also help evolve the USIGS toward a seamless, interoperable, common operating environment; gradually improving imagery and geospatial support to military, civil, and national customers.

As an implementation of the C4ISR Framework for USIGS, the USIGS Architecture Framework will assist NIMA and the IGC in accomplishing complementary and interoperable strategic planning. It will also provide a coherent approach for applying strategic direction and process improvements to the USIGS Architecture. This will enable functional managers to play a more visible and proactive role in contributing to USIGS Architecture improvements.

The UAF also provides a means of evaluating the validity of architecture descriptions. By looking at several specific examples of operational need scenarios and tracking their processes (threads) through the described architecture(s), NIMA and the IGC can demonstrate, in a real-world sense, the validity of their architecture.

1.1.2 Integrating USIGS Architecture with C4ISR Architectures

An important goal of the UAF is an ability to integrate USIGS Architecture with C4ISR architectures. The USIGS and IGC are composed of multiple suppliers, producers, and customers operating within, and across, all levels of the DoD, intelligence, civil, corporate, and academic communities. These participants tend to have unique perspectives on how they interact with each other. Their unique missions and focus make it difficult to find a "common denominator" or even a common authority for easily reconciling conflicts among the various architectures.

Today, and in the near future, integration will probably be accomplished toward the lower end of the integration continuum. This means that the USIGS and other architectures (whether prepared by one organization or many organizations) will be built against a common C4ISR Framework that is sufficiently uniform (or similar) to enable critical relationships to be identified, thereby at least setting the stage for further integration. In the future the USIGS Architecture seeks to achieve higher end integration, so that various architectures can be intertwined, or plugged together, into a single physical and logical representation.

1.2 Scope of the USIGS Architecture

An architecture is required to guide the establishment of minimum-essential controls and guidelines in ways that enhance, rather than constrain, the effectiveness of USIGS in meeting its critical support responsibilities. The USIGS Architecture defines the structure of components, their relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time. There is an interrelated set of USIGS Architecture views which include the Operational Architecture, the Technical Architecture, the System Architecture, and Conceptual Data Model. Each of these views is, in turn, described by its own specific products.

While the UAF provides direction on how to describe the USIGS Architecture; it does not provide guidance in how to design or implement a specific architecture component or how to develop and acquire a system of systems.

1.2.1 Architecture Component Views and Products

Operational Architecture products identify operational elements, activities, and information flows. Technical Architecture products identify applicable standards and conventions. System Architecture products overlay requirements and identified standards to map current and future capabilities. The Conceptual Data Model provides the common data modeling and terminology baseline needed to articulate and integrate the other component architecture views. This document discusses the USIGS Architecture components, their roles and relationships, and identifies architecture products which need to be developed to define and evolve an integrated, interoperable USIGS. An overview of USIGS Architecture components is shown in Figure 1-1.

The following definitions are useful in providing a clear context for the UAF:

• Architecture: The structure of components, their relationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time.
• Operational Architecture: Descriptions of the tasks, operational elements, and information flows required to accomplish or support warfighting, National Security, and civil functions.
• System Architecture: Descriptions (often graphical) of systems and interconnections providing for or supporting warfighting, National Security, and civil functions.
• Technical Architecture: A minimum set of rules governing the arrangement, interaction, and interdependence of the parts or elements whose purpose is to ensure that a conformant system satisfies a specified set of requirements.
• Conceptual Data Model: The relationship and definitions of all data that is used by and influences the other three architecture components - operational, systems, and technical.

The Architecture products included in the UAF is classified into two categories, namely:

• Essential Products which facilitate the development and integration of architectures within and across organizational boundaries and between USIGS and multi-national elements of the IGC;
• Supporting Products which provide additional, supporting data that may sometimes be needed to supplement the essential products.

NOTE: "M" - Mandatory; USIGS products must be considered in this process

 
1.2.2 Architecture Time Frames

The evolution of the USIGS Architecture is an iterative process of analysis, definition, and migration. UAF products are intended to influence the cyclical planning, programming, and budgeting process. This requires that Architecture products be able to support the capability to view the USIGS in "As-Is" and "To-Be" perspectives. For the purposes of the UAF, the "As-Is" time frame generally describes the present situation, and the "To-Be" is the end of the current FYDP. Effective System Architecture planning is the key to overcoming the gaps, redundancies, issues, and shortfalls identified during architectural analysis and definition phases. Migration planning links the "As-Is" and "To-Be" perspectives. Figure 1-4 illustrates the factors involved in USIGS Architecture evolution.

1.2.3 Architecture Traceability and Linkages

Figure 1-5 provides a high-level overview of the relationships among documents which describe the USIGS Architecture, the documents which significantly influence the content of that Architecture, and the documents which depend on that Architecture. Subsequent sections of the UAF will describe these relationships in greater detail.

 
1.2.4 Architecture References

In the course of developing essential and supporting USIGS Architecture products, one or more formal references or sources may be required to be used in order to ensure that specific architecture descriptions are complete and in conformance with current policy and formal direction. These key sources are referred to as Universal Reference Resources, as in C4ISR Framework usage.

Universal Reference Resources for the USIGS Architecture include the following:

• C4ISR Architecture Framework, Version 2.0, 18 December 1997
• Data Administration Procedures (DoD 8320.1-M), April 1998
• DoD Technical Architecture Framework for Information Management (TAFIM), Version 3.0, 30 April 1996
• Deputy Secretary of Defense/Director of Central Intelligence Joint Intelligence Guidance (annual)
• DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (DoDJP 1-02), as amended 3 November 1997
• Functional Manager's Guidance for the USIGS Community FY 1999-2003, 20 December 1996
• DoD Joint Technical Architecture, Version 2.0, 26 May 1998
• Joint Vision 2010, undated
• USIGS Technical Architecture (UTA), 6 November 1997
• USIGS Glossary, 6 November 1997
• USIGS Conceptual Data Model, Coordination DRAFT, 5 May 1998
• USIGS Interoperability Profile (UIP), 24 March 1998
• USIGS Operational Architecture Description (UOAD), RFC N01-0040R1, 26 May 1998
• National Imagery and Mapping Agency (DoDD 5105.60), 11 October 1996
• National Imagery and Mapping Agency Business Plan 1997
• National Imagery and Mapping Agency Strategic Plan for 1998 and Beyond, 1997
• National Imagery and Mapping Agency Operations Directorate Vision , September 1997
• Imagery and Geospatial Community Operation Vision into the 21st Century, Draft, December 1997
• Universal Joint Task List, Version 3.0, 13 September 1996
• Defense Information Management (IM) Program (DoDD 8000.1) 8 October 1997

• Acquisition (NIMA Policy Directive 5000), 31 July 1997
• Acquisition, Program Development, Approval (NIMA Instruction 5000.1), 5 August 1997
• Airborne Reconnaissance Annex (ARA), JTA version 2.0, May 1998
• DCGS Acquisition Handbook CIGSS Segment Standards, Version 1.0, DRAFT, 31 July 1997
• Concept for Future Joint Operations, May 1997
• Defense Information Infrastructure (DII) Common Operating Environment (COE), Version 3.2, 3 October 1997
• Defense Information Infrastructure Master Plan, Version 6.0, 27 June 1997
• Geospatial Information Infrastructure (GII) Master Plan, 17 October 1997
• NIMA/ST Program Implementation Document (PID), 26 August 1997
• Object Management Group's (OMG) Object Management Architecture Guide, Revision 3.0, June 1995
• Policy-Development Process (NIMA Directive 5025.1), 17 March 1997

1.3.1 Future USIGS Environment

A number of assumptions are important in describing the future environment in which USIGS will operate. Foremost among these are the impacts of continued USIGS resource constraints (personnel and fiscal), increased information requirements within shrinking timelines, and increasing pressure to release information at lower classification levels.

Another major assumption is that imagery collection capabilities will be substantially expanded in the future. Large-area collectors and multispectral imagery collectors will also be more readily available. Improved Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs) will be in regular operation. Older US national imagery will be declassified and commercially available. Finally, commercial imagery with improved quality will be available from a number of new US and foreign imagery collectors.

Demands on USIGS capabilities to provide more timely access to imagery, imagery intelligence , and geospatial information will continue to increase. Achieving and maintaining Dominant Battlefield Awareness - an interactive picture using all-source fused information - will mandate more timely information support to a shorter military operations cycle, and the flexibility to provide a wide variety of information rapidly in support of US and allied military operations world-wide. Increased availability of smart weapons, sophisticated mission planning systems, and mission simulators/rehearsal systems will significantly increase the need for access to imagery and geospatial information. Similarly, US Government (USG) decision-makers, policy-makers, and planners, at all levels, will demand more timely imagery intelligence, and improved access to imagery and geospatial information in order to better respond to fast-changing world events. Requirements for imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information will also continue to expand in traditional USG areas of interest such as treaty monitoring, weapons proliferation, counter-terrorism, counter-drug, economic analysis, and environmental studies.

The cost of implementing technology will continue to decrease markedly over time, making the use of imagery more affordable to all USIGS customers. The implementation of multi-level security capabilities will gradually reduce the need for maintaining redundant parallel systems across multiple security levels, making a wider variety of information accessible to USIGS customers. The volume of available imagery intelligence information will have increased due to the introduction of and new automated imagery exploitation tools, and reliable voice input capabilities at major production facilities within the DoD and US Intelligence Community. The increased availability of high-quality digital information across the USIGS will significantly increase the volume of locally -generated, and often tailored, imagery, maps, and hardcopy imagery intelligence products. There will also be a increase in the local production of digital media to support distribution to nearby stand-alone and non-time dominant information customers. A corresponding decrease in the volume of production of hardcopy and media at national and regional production facilities can be anticipated for some types of products. However, cost considerations, along with the decreased classification levels of imagery and geospatial information will result in a significantly larger number of customers with stand-alone systems and non-time dominant information requirements. Depending upon the increase in the customer base supported by individual national and regional production centers, this may result in expanded bulk production of non-time dominant, low cost, hardcopy and physical media. Hopefully, the costs associated with the current reliance on dedicated couriers to disseminate these products, will be mitigated by the increased use commercial courier services to disseminate these products.

1.3.2 USIGS Common View of Mission Space

The USIGS seeks to guarantee access to three base layers of Figure 1-6, (i.e., geospatial foundation, imagery, and imagery intelligence). The geospatial, imagery, and intelligence pieces of the common view of mission space must be in place, reliable, and current - providing immediate local access to a customer-tailored information mix of high quality digital data, digital and digitized-hardcopy products.

The geospatial foundation layer is an integrated data set of positional information which is used to satisfy basic customer location, elevation, and feature information requirements. Feature data includes information on naturally-occurring and significant man-made objects such as rivers, mountains, cities, roads, and power lines. (Feature data is organized in thematic sub-layers, elevation data, and controlled image base.) The geospatial foundation layer is validated by NIMA for accuracy and, like maps, is available in variety of scales and relative accuracies in order to meet the wide range of customer mission requirements. The term "foundation" is used in reference to the geospatial layer since all other layers are registered to it.

The imagery layer is composed of original and/or manipulated imagery not incorporated into the controlled image base. This layer provides additional detail, visual or non-literal (as in the case of imagery collected by a radar sensor), which is often needed for planning, recognition, analysis, and confidence-building/decision-making.

The imagery intelligence layer captures the analytical data resulting from imagery exploitation. This data is to satisfy customer information requirements in areas such as indications and warning, hostile threats, force composition and deployment, facility/equipment identification and location, mission planning, targeting, and damage assessment. It may be used separately, or as an important input to all-source fused information in support of Dominant Battlefield Awareness.

1.3.3 Customers' View

The role of imagery, geospatial information, and their analytic derivatives - imagery intelligence and terrain analyses - are critical to accomplishing the missions of IGC customers. Customers require access to digital imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information which can be integrated locally, using fast, affordable and interoperable tools, in order to perform their planning, operations, and mission assessment tasks. For military customers, this capability is fundamental to achieving Dominant Battlespace Awareness.

Satisfying customer requirements is the central goal of the USIGS Information Cycle. (See
Figure 1-7).

The USIGS will provide automated capabilities, common applications, and access to digital imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information for authorized customers at all organizational levels. USIGS applications will include management, dissemination, and exploitation tools. They will be user-friendly, supported by contextual help function; and, where possible, self-taught using on-line training. Servers and libraries which contain USIGS information will be configured so that they appear to the customer to be a single, virtual library. USIGS libraries will be accessible through a variety of communication paths to ensure the most responsive use for all customers based upon the priority of their requirement, and their individual infrastructure and communications support capabilities. The acquisition of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information from the USIGS libraries will be fully integrated with the acquisition of other operational and intelligence source data. USIGS customers will establish standing delivery profiles which govern their receipt of new and historical imagery, imagery intelligence products and information, and maps and geospatial information. Individual profiles may be pre-established in anticipation of existing tasks, or ad hoc in order to meet new requirements. They will be validated by responsible authorities, in accordance with established policy and security guidance. Delivery emphasis for all customers will be on electronic dissemination to satisfy customer timeliness requirements. USIGS customers will provide the requisite communications and local infrastructure capabilities needed to access the USIGS, and provide for local storage and hardcopy/media production.

Potential non-US Government IGC customers include: US commercial and academic interests; and allied government, commercial, and academic interests. The USIGS will support individual customers in these categories in accordance with USG policy and security directives, on a prioritized basis. In order to obtain USIGS access, these customers will be required to provide their own USIGS-compliant capabilities including infrastructure, communications, processing, storage, and production. Customers in these categories will also have the option to receive hardcopy products and media generated at other USIGS production sites.

1.3.4 NIMA's Response

NIMA's vision is to guarantee the information edge - ready access to the world's imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial information. In order to achieve this vision, NIMA has established four Strategic Goals:

• Provide customers with seamless access to tailorable imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information - not just structured products.
• Make imagery, imagery intelligence , and geospatial information available on very short timelines at the lowest possible classification.
• Obtain and use the best available information, whether commercial, government, or other source.
• Use private sector services and best available commercial technology to improve service to customers.

The NIMA Information Service (NIS) is an important construct to the growth of the USIGS (see Figure 1-8). The NIS is the gateway to imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information acquired and produced by NIMA for its customers. It provides customer service data and software applications related to this information. The NIS provides on-line, integrated access to, and delivery of NIMA information content as formatted products and seamless coverages, stored in an array of distributed libraries. Customers may browse through structured directories of products or search metadata catalogs that characterize the products by a number of parameters. Once located, files may be viewed by a customer, or downloaded ("pulled") to their workstation or work-group server for local tailoring and use.

The "USIGS Information Service" represents an extension of the NIS and will be achieved when IGC customers have reliable and timely access to a single "virtual" library with all available imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information resources in the network of geographically distributed, physically separated USIGS libraries and servers.

1.4 USIGS Glossary

The USIGS Glossary is a collection of terminology supporting the USIGS Architecture. It defines terms and acronyms and, similar to a dictionary, cites multiple sources and definitions when appropriate. The USIGS Glossary facilitates the common understanding of NIMA unique and general terminology necessary to architecture definition. The Glossary contains:
 

• Imagery and Geospatial Terms, Systems, Products

• Information Technology and Architecture Terms

• Terms of General Interest or for Informational Purposes