AFRL/IF

Joint Battlespace Infosphere

19 July 2000

Walt Tirenintireninw@rl.af.mil

(315) 330-1871

2

Overview

Concept Introduction R&D Approach Status/Distributed Testbed IA&S Issues

3

“The Internet is like a weapon sitting on a table ready to be picked up by either you or your competitors.” (Michael Dell)

“Similar web-based systems will be cheaply available to U.S. adversaries from global vendors.… if the U.S. goal is information superiority, there is no option but to plunge into the issues of web-oriented C2.” (1999 AF SAB, “Building the Joint Battlespace Infosphere”)

4

Information Management Problem

Current C2ISR tools only get uspart way there

– Large, monolithic, rigid enterprises

– Unique information infrastructures

– Interoperability issues

– System admin & configuration overhead

Decision-maker must filter & aggregate

Kosovo Lessons: – “Info fatigue”

– “Cyber-rubbernecking”

Brand new enterprise systemscost-prohibitive (time & $$)

DCGSGCCS

TBMCS GDSS

?

DecisionMaker

!!

5

Traditional system interoperability view

Systems are connected to each other– With dedicated circuits, or– With preplanned message interchanges for each pairwise system-to-system connection

Moreinteroperabilityrequirements

quickly becomea LOT MOREinterfaces to

manage(n-squared problem)

6

The JBI Vision

Decision-Quality Information

Globally Interoperable Information “Space” that …

Aggregates, fuses, and

disseminates tailored

battlespace information

to all echelons of

a JTF

Links JTF sensors,

systems &users

together for unity of effort

Integrates legacy C2 resources

Focuses on Decision-Making

Enables Affordable Technology Refresh

Leverages Emerging Commercial Technologies

Inside the Battlespace InfoSphere

(circa 1999)

Input Planning/ExecutionProducts

Command Guidance User

Information Products &

DBs

FusionProducts

Combat SupportProducts

Manipulateto Create

Knowledge Query

Publish

Subscribe

Transform Control

Common

Representation

Interact

Task Centric

PresentationsCollaborative

ProblemSolving

AutomaticFormatting &

Filtering

AutomaticData

Capture

http://www.sab.hq.af.mil/Archives/index.htm

8

JBI Basics

Information exchange

– Publish/Subscribe/Query

Transforming datato knowledge

– Fuselets

The JBI is a system of systems that integrates, aggregates, & distributes information to users at all echelons, from the command center to the battlefield.

The JBI is built on four key technologies:

Distributed collaboration

– Shared, updateable knowledge objects

Force/Unit interfaces

– Templates

» Operational capability

» Information inputs

» Information requirements

Architectural ConceptSENSORS

Coalition partners

ABCS

TBMCS

GCCS-M

AFATDS

GCSS

SYSTEMS

Subscribe

Publish

Global Grid, Web, Internet,….

JBI Repository

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC>

<AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC>

<RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC>

<AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC>

<RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC>

<AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC>

<RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

JBI Platform

JBI SubscriptionBroker

Metadata

Metadata

Metadata

JBI QueryBroker

??

?

JBI Management

Services

ACCESS

Personnel

BDA

Orders of Battle

Weather

Targets

Etc....

BATTLESPACE

INFO

Intentions

Connectors

Query

10

Publish & Subscribe

JBIClient

JBIClient

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC><AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC><RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC>

<AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC>

<RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

OBJ-ID: TBMCS-59

JBI-CLIENT FLEX-1765A

OBJ-TYPE: ATO-MSG

Time-stamp: 06222001

SECURITY: UNCLAS

GEO: 167/34/27W-45/22/57N

<CAMPAIGN-ID DECISIVE-HALT-2001>

<MSGID ATO/TACC><AIRTASK RECONNAISSANCE>

<TASKUNIT 63-TRS/KXXQ/DET-1-FOL>

<MSNDAT AF0025/-/PHICO-10/1RF4C/REC><RECDATA 8AA001/PRY:2/301500Z/-/SLAR>

<TRCPLOT 420035N0153545E/RAD:50NM>

<INGRESS-ROUTE >

<COMMAND-GUIDANCE >

JBI SubscriptionBroker

Metadata

Metadata

Metadata

JBI Management

Services

ACCESSJBI Query

Broker

??

?

• Publish: Installation of Objects in “Catalog of Published Objects” maintained by specialized Publication Services. Services also maintain lists of pending Subscriptions• Subscribe: Subscriptions specify metadata values that must match corresponding values in newly Published Objects - forward looking in time• Query: Like Subscription, but without automatic triggering - backward looking in time

11

JBI Fuselets

• JBI Clients that create new knowledge derived from JBI information objects

• Small programs that publish JBI objects by refining or fusing information in a relatively simple way

• Capture simple decision logic which can be expressed in a natural way (e.g. rules)

• Created using scripting languages (e.g. JavaScript) or simple programming tools to adapt JBI information flows to dynamic mission needs

• Obtained from a library, configured, and placed in service to accomplish particular job in a JBI

• Not currently viewed as either mobile or intelligent

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Example: fuselets that aggregate

• Each air base publishes a “base status” object to the JBI. A fuselet that has subscribed to this type of object is triggered and publishes an aggregate “mission base status” object.

• Complex aggregation is achieved by cascading fuselets, forming higher-level knowledge.

• Represents challenges in control.

Fuselet

Subscribe

Mission base status

Ramstein status

Aviano status

Taszar status

Publish

13

Force / Unit Templates

•Information requirements •Information products/outputs•Communications requirements•Computing systems•Force employment capability•Ammunition inventory•Fuel requirements•Personnel requirements

•Information requirements •Information products/outputs •Communications requirements•Computing systems

Combat Unit

Support Unit

JBI

•Mandatory unit subscriptions•Mandatory unit publications•Network routing information

units and their native IM systems

Comprehensive Information “handshake”

Software descriptions of military units that are to be integrated into the JBI

Describes pub/sub exchange; based on IERsDrives JBI reconfiguration to incorporate

new

14

DESIGN:

– Concentrate design effort on ops functionality

– Integrate at information level -- focus on content vs. format; de-couple data & applications

ACQUIRE:

– Competitive market economy for info services & products within the JBI; no single-vendor solutions

– Rapid plug-n-play, standards-based insertion of innovative functionality and technology

DEPLOY:

– Build & evolve agile JTF info framework driven by campaign CONOPS & dynamics of ops environment -- just like force structure

EMPLOY:

– Timely decision-making from decision quality information

– Unity of effort through shared understanding

Bestof breed

JBI PayoffsThe JBI will revolutionize the way we…

Faster,cheaper

Customized,AdaptiveServices

InformationDominance

Enabled by Web Infrastructure

15

JBI Evolution

Provides an integrating substrate of information management services to link all C2 functionality

New solutions “plug-in” without rebuilding all service layers

Infrastructure

• Supplants old infrastructures while providing migration path for existing C2 systems

• Significant acquisition, deployment, and employment gains

TBMCS

TBMCS GCCS

GCCS GDSS

GDSS EmergingC2 tools

Dissolves Stovepipes & DeliversSeamless Access to Information

Y-JBIInfrastructure

BattlespaceInfoSphere

WEB-ENABLED

JBI-1

Joint Campaign Planning

Mobility Planning

Battlespace Awareness

EffectsBasedOps

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SAB RecommendedTechnology Investments

LEVERAGE E-BUSINESS SOLUTIONS WITH ROBUST DOD S&T INVESTMENTS

Commercial Tech:

YJBI-1

Today2001

• Web Technology:XML, XSL, XQL

• E-commerce Solutions

JBI-1

Near-Term2005

• Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) Middleware

• Digital Libraries

DoD S&T:

Prototype & Dem

o

Evolve Rqmts

Prototype & Dem

o

Evolve Rqmts

JBI-2

• Data Warehousing

• Immersive Virtual Environments

Spiral Development

Process

Spiral Development

Process

Long-Term2010

• Information Assurance & Survivability

• Advanced Data/Sensor Fusion

• Intelligent Agents

• Distributed Storage, Indexing, & Retrieval

• Auto Data Capture & Info Extraction

• Warfighter Connectivity

17

JBI Investment Strategy

Requires a multi-track approach:

– Experimentation and testing

– Long-term S&T investment

– Migration of C2ISR functionality Long-term S&T investment areas:

– Repository: Structured Common Representation, Metadata, Pedigree, Data Warehouse, Digital Library, Distributed/Virtual Object Spaces/Storage

– Interaction: Publish/Subscribe/Query, Information Extraction, Input, Collaboration, Dynamic User Modeling

– Information Processing: Fusion, Fuselets, Filtering, Data Mining, Natural Language Translation

– JBI/Enterprise Management & Control: Middleware Services, QoS, IA&S, Force Templates, Lifecycle, Client Access/Interface

– JBI Enabling Technologies: Agent Technology, Advanced Networking and Communication Technologies, HPC, Modeling & Simulation

18

JBI High-Level Approach

COTS T&E

DoD R&D + GOTS T&E

Integration & Experimentation

Integrated Feasibility Demonstrations /

Experiments (IFD/E)

JBI = f(COTS + GOTS + DoD-specific R&D)

Adopt / Adapt / Develop to maintain low cost of entry; “Buy, don’t Build”

19

JBI Roadmap

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

YJBI-1a

YJBI-1b

YJBI-1c

YJBI-1d

CONOPS CONOPS CONOPS

Technical Architecture Technical Architecture Technical Architecture

DARPADARPA

COTS Insertion + Foundational DoD Science & Technology

wfJBI JBI-1 Block 10JBI-1 Block 20

JBI-1 Block 30

JBI-2

JBI Experimental Testbed

JEFX 00 JEFX 02 JEFX 04 JEFX 06

20

Current JBI Status

AC2ISRC “Wright-Flyer” JBI

– “Integrated” Cat III for JEFX 00

– ISR Battle Management scenario

– JEFX spiral 2 successful 9 Jun 00 JBI Task ForcePAWGJBI Repository Study - Summer 2000Concept Validation Prototypes

(Y-JBIs)

– Explore design space

– Identify most viable components foroperational spirals

– Goal is relatively inexpensive evaluation & idea generation

wf-JBI

Design space

YJBI-1’s wfJBI

MOE/MOP

21

JBI Distributed Testbed Sites & Responsibilities:

– WSC – focal point for coordinating distributed testbed activities and JBI evolution as a whole

– AFRL/CUBE – prototype development, experimentation, & integration

– C2B – operational assessment, evaluation & feedback

Testbed = Facilities, HW/SW, network connectivity, manpower, processes, sensor feeds, databases, M&S, legacy C2 systems

Near-term

Future

DARPADARPA

– Future: JBC (JFCOM), DARPA, SPAWAR, ITC, Industry IR&D partners, …

– DBCC (Nellis) - robust employment scenarios

22

Testbed Purpose

Host and facilitate full evolution of the JBI

Support multiple prototypes (incl. wfJBI) for collaborative development and experimentation

Provide an integration environment for legacy and emerging C2ISR systems

Support industry IR&D efforts with access to C2 architectures & systems

Provide JBI component developers regular access to evolving JBI Services – mitigates risk for downstream insertion

Support operational assessment and evaluation

23

IA&S Challenges

Vulnerabilities/challenges introduced by JBI-related technologies (e.g., Shared-spaces (JavaSpaces/Jini); XML; Distributed components (CORBA, EJB, Agents, etc.); Commercial Middleware & Enterprise Integration Technologies)

– The good news is the JBI concept provides rapid refresh of technology; the bad news is …

Policy specification, propagation, enforcement, and maintenance

– Complicated across heterogeneous & dynamic domains; allies/coalition partners

Potential “fuselet”-based aggregation of data into information of varying/unknown sensitivity levels

24

Novel approaches (e.g., NLP and semantic modeling?) needed to control exchange of information between classification and coalition domains: MLS/MSL remain critical requirements despite difficulties/failures with traditional approaches– How do you do:

– collaboration– seamless management/operation of a JBI

across multiple security levels and coalition systems?

Incorporation of Units via Force Templates– Certification/Accreditation of the composed

mission-specific JBI on-the-fly (risk profile)– Including coalition partners

IA&S Challenges

25

I&A and audit to support such things as pedigree of information/directives published into “shared” spaces– In an environment of complex information flows

Integrity of information, availability, and appropriate confidentiality controls are essential– Though not new, complicated by highly distributed,

shared notions of information management Validation & revocation of subscriptions based on

dynamic need-to-know conditions Impact on JBI of the recent policy on Mobile Code, not

to mention threats from malicious Mobile Code … and many more challenges [ insert favorite here ]

IA&S Challenges

“The success of the JBI will depend on a sound system for IA”(1999 AF SAB, “Building the Joint Battlespace Infosphere”)

26

SAB Report Findings on IA

SAB’s JBI study gave little attention to security issues– Such issues are extremely broad, and require a

dedicated SAB study to pursue Web has carried all systems well beyond the

ability of current defensive technology– As with any new technology, defense lags

attack– Like all DOD enterprise systems, as JBI

evolves, IA must strive to catch up “The SAB study team especially recommends

research relevant to distributed component architectures, such as CORBA, EJB, and agents”

27

SAB Report Findings on IA

The SAB team focused on three particular areas: Intrusion Detection: Need to move beyond

current signature-based techniques to “non-signature” methods for detection of novel attacks

Response Selection: Need attack assessment and response selection at “execution speed”– Implies control technology for automated

response selection– Require new theoretical models of systems

under attack (e.g., Process Control Approaches to Cyber Attack Detection)

Multilevel Security: DOD has not made great progress in MLS after many years of effort– Would provide increased flexibility for systems

such as JBI

28

Development of IA&S for JBI must track with development of overall JBI

– As architectural & design options are iteratively defined & solidified, specific security solutions can then be developed and incorporated in parallel

– Evaluate JBI prototypes (YJBIs) for “securability” as well as functionality and performance

– Identify any major “gotchas” soon as possible

– Security must be brought “up the ramp” together with the rest of the JBI community

– Plan & implement security from the start but ...

We can’t secure what we don’t know!

Approach for IA&S

29

Conclusion: JBI Impact

Tailored to match the needs of the mission; versus the mission constrained by capabilities of the system

Provides an underlying, consistent information management framework; eliminates the need for duplicate, custom-built structures across stove-piped systems

– Individual development & acquisition efforts can focus on the unique functionality of each component

– Reduces incompatibility/interoperability problems

Complexities of system integration and information management are abstracted away at the operator level

Reduces information overload, improves decision quality, by providing relevant info at the required time and level of detail — No more, no less

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"Information superiority becomes a precondition for fighting to

achieve air and space superiority,"

Lt. Gen. Liu Shunyao,

Chief, China Peoples Liberation Army Air Force

28 Feb 2000, AW&ST

(“Chinese War Plans Emphasize Air Force's Offensive Role”)

Questions?