1. INTRODUCTION

The Information Systems and Technology (IS&T) goal is to develop the technologies and architectures needed to provide all warfighters the right information, in the right place, at the right time. To accomplish this there must be a flexible architecture that allows common software for a variety of decision making tool kits; transparent management and distribution of information among heterogeneous systems; seamless communication systems utilizing commercial and common protocols that allow transport of information anywhere in the world; computing and software technology that supports the evolution of products inserted into our common systems; and modeling and simulation (M&S) technologies for developing applications that facilitate early assessment of new technologies, supports our ability to "view" systems in the virtual world, and facilitate the utilization of application programs for training and mission rehearsal.

1.1 Definition/Scope

The Defense Technology Area Plan (DTAP) for IS&T covers the five major areas shown in Figure III.1. and is the integration of three previously reported areas from, Command, Control and Communications (C3); Computing and Software; and Modeling and Simulation. By this integration we can achieve greater focus and efficiency from our technologies and provide a common framework for integrating new technologies as they emerge. The overall concept for integrating the Services' programs in these areas is to implement the concept of a "virtual laboratory" connecting the Services' laboratories and users over high-capacity lines that allow interactive and focused experiments to take place. Utilizing this approach we will maximize the expertise in each Service, leverage Service technologies, share common products, and achieve interoperability by embracing a common architecture. Figure III.2. shows the focus of these efforts starting on the nleft with the warfighters needs; then utilizing the virtual laboratory to integrate programs, and finally including the Services' focused efforts in each of the five critical subareas. These subareas will be described in more detail in later paragraphs in this section of the DTAP and will be summarized in the paragraphs that follow.

The efforts of these five subareas, when integrated, become effective command, control, communications, computing, and modeling/simulation building blocks that are pivotal elements of modern warfighting. They will provide the means for collaborative training, planning, mission rehearsal, decision making, information distribution, and the successful employment of accurate weapons systems. The efforts in the DTAP are the "glue" that integrates the sensors and provides the critical information to the weapons systems. Achieving this capability requires significant investment, either to leverage the commercial sector or to develop the unique military components. See Resource Appendix for funding of this Defense Technology Area.

A brief summary of the five subareas shown in Figure III.2. follows. Decision Making is the heart of the command process. It encompasses the development of common, modular, elements that connect joint mission planning, rehearsal, execution monitoring, and common pictures of the battlespace. This will provide battlefield picture and situational assessment products that will support real time operations. M&S is a fundamental component of the other four subareas as well as supporting all other DTAP areas. M&S technologies will provide a capability for developing distributed, seamless, interactive, and adaptive simulations through reuse and linking of a wide variety of M&S applications. Information Management and Distribution provides the information infrastructure and products needed by the other four areas (and other DTAP areas) for; information security, distributed computing, distributed multimedia databases, and visualization. This movement of information is critical to satisfying the warfighters' needs for the future. Seamless Communications spans the globe, interconnecting command echelons, Services, and allies worldwide by implementing common transport protocols and dynamic network management. By focusing on wide bandwidth capabilities linked to our narrow band tactical systems, including mitigated modems to recover messages during nuclear and natural disturbed environments, we can provide the correct critical information to the warrior anywhere in the world. Computing and Software Technology will provide an integrated approach between the private sector and the Government efforts. Focus will be on compatible software architectures; improved software tools to reduce development costs; high performance computing; intelligent agents; and user interfaces.

1.2 Strategic Goals

The top level goals of the IS&T research and development (R&D) programs are to deliver technology solutions that provide:

• Transparent communications between and across command levels/ echelons-Seamless Communications under any weapon and natural disturbed environments.

• Common architectures as a framework to achieve transparent distribution of information.

• Commonality where common elements are appropriate (e.g., Joint decisionmaking tool kits)

• Readily available, operationally valid, models and simulations built to a common technical framework.

• Affordable, advanced, robust information-processing systems through effectively integrated software, hardware, and connectivity infrastructures.

IS&T programs will develop the technology to provide a real-time, fused, battlespace picture with integrated decisions aids. The technology will provide the: processing infrastructure; intelligent/anticipatory data manipulation and distribution, and dynamically adaptive algorithm, broadband communications linkages required for both command and sensor-to-shooter applications. Warfighters will be able to exchange information unimpeded by differences in connectivity, environmental conditions, processing and interface characteristics. With these capabilities we will have the ability to establish distributed, virtual staffs that share a common, consistent perception of the battlespace. The warfighter will have the capability to construct distributed task teams among command posts split between Areas of Operation and rear areas to include Continental United States with the resultant linkage of sensors, weapons, and decision makers. Specific examples of the critical benefits provided are included in the remaining sections of the Plan.

1.3 Acquisition/Warfighting Needs

The IS&T technology efforts are critical to the stated Joint Warfighting Needs of Dominant Battlespace Knowledge; Precision Force; Combat Identification; Theater Missile Defense; Military Operations in Urban Terrain; Joint Readiness; Joint Countermine; Electronic Warfare; Information Warfare; and Real-Time Logistics Control. Figure III.3. shows the powerful technology transition opportunities to enhance the warfighters' capabilities and Figure III.4. shows the Defense Technology Objectives (DTOs) selected to provide focus for meeting these warfighter needs.

Access to and exploitation of timely information is a key element of America's future war fighting and crisis management capabilities, as well as its national competitiveness. The projected force-level-multiplier advantage of information technology stands far above that of all other technical areas. Such capability, while greatly enhancing the autonomy and survivability of individual units, will quickly provide an advantage in any conflict, supporting early, decisive victory with minimal cost in assets and human life.

Advanced software and computing technologies are essential to supporting the Joint Staff future Joint warfighting capabilities. As much as 90 percent of the cost of command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) systems and 80 percent of the functionality of products such as avionics systems are directly and solely attributable to software. High-performance computing and image understanding coupled with high-performance networking, distributed systems, and mobile computing form the foundations for instantaneous recognition of targets, and rapid communication of the information. IS&T also enables a wide range of defense-critical applications, such as new methods for design enabled by computational models in many science and engineering disciplines. Advanced M&S tools and simulation-based training systems offer more cost-effective means of enhancing individual and unit performance, as well as conducting assessments, analyses, and rehearsals. For modernization, M&S technology will reduce the time, resources, and risks of the acquisition process while enhancing the performance of the acquired systems. Virtual prototypes will be evaluated in realistic synthetic acquisition and operational environments, supporting the many phases of the acquisition process from requirements definition and initial concept exploration to the manufacturing and testing of new systems.

Many of these advances in IS&T are being driven by commercial developments and products. The results can be brought to bear on Department of Defense (DoD) problems through cooperative efforts and participation in efforts to set standards and establish policy. Costly DoD-specific development can be avoided with the amortization of costs across Government and commercial communities. However, there are aspects of command, control, communications, and computers (C4) and M&S that must be strongly influenced or directly supported by DoD. In particular, developing the capability to reliably communicate to and among numerous, widely dispersed mobile sites operating in actively hostile environments; identifying friend and foe; achieving information security; and meeting the requirements for military-unique processing and decision support systems will not be achieved without significant DoD support. The IS&T acquisition strategy is necessarily a pragmatic one-identify the pivotal issues, capitalize on commercial development whenever feasible, leverage development in areas with special military aspects, and sponsor programs in technologies with unique DoD interest that would otherwise not be available to meet DoD needs.