Joint Systems Baseline Assessment 2006 completes technical assessment

Joint Systems Integration Command’s Joint Systems Baseline Assessment 2006 completed a technical assessment designed to test command and control systems used by joint warfighters around the world.

By Robert Pursell
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(SUFFOLK, Va. - July 28, 2006) – Joint Systems Integration Command’s (JSIC) Joint Systems Baseline Assessment 2006 (JSBA-06) completed a technical assessment here today designed to test command and control systems used by warfighters around the world.

JSIC is assigned to U. S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM). The command leads near-term transformation of joint force command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities through assessing new technology.

JSBA-06 is the latest in a series of assessments designed to identify and address warfighter interoperability issues relating to capabilities already in the field or projected to be in the field in the next year. Successful resolution of these issues will allow operators to use and share information with the warfighter.

The assessment is an effort between Joint Staff, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and USJFCOM to resolve key combatant command (COCOM) readiness issues related to service collection management and targeting capabilities in a coalition environment.

Air Force Lt. Col. Jill Singleton, deputy director of interoperability demonstrations for JSIC and JSBA-06 project lead, explained the assessment’s importance.

“The complexity of JSBA has grown over the years by building on the lessons-learned from previous assessments,” she said. “This is a unique environment that brings the program managers, who have the ability to say ‘go ahead and fix this,’ the warfighters, who use the systems in theater, and our people, who are good at assessing what the problem is - all together in the same room.”

JSIC is conducting the event in two phases – a technical assessment, and then an operational assessment Sept. 5-28.

During the technical assessment, held in the JSIC labs and other distributed sites, warfighters, program managers, and engineers worked on more than 30 joint task force (JTF) command and control (C2) systems of record in a controlled environment.

Singleton explained the technical assessment is the beginning of a rapid process that resolves issues in order to support the joint warfighter. “We can fix something that might take years to resolve, and by having everybody here in the room together we can do it quicker and have it ready for the next software upgrade that is fielded to the warfighter.”

Singleton explained the laboratory environment at JSIC provides the setup and the tools needed to get each of their main systems up and running. “To get them functioning and communicating with each other in such a short period of time is a testament to the expertise of our engineering team.”

JSIC connects the systems to replicate real world operations and performs interoperability tests to make sure they all work together.

Creating a realistic environment is vital in assessing not only how the information flows, but also ensuring the correct operational effect is achieved. Any interoperability problems discovered are analyzed and documented for corrective action.

At times, these fixes occur on the spot when the program management system experts are able to code the fix into the software and then retest to verify that the issue was resolved.

JSIC is looking at several new systems and applications to identify interoperability problems and how they can be integrated into JTF operations. They include the Topographic Production Capability, which provides tailored up-to-date mapping products and the Intel Surveillance and Reconnaissance Information System, which offers full motion video to band-width constrained users.

“The services have different systems and we’re trying to smooth as many of the boundaries as we can to make it possible to share the same picture and understand what the threats and targets are,” said Singleton. “Our ultimate goal is to improve the joint warfighters’ ability to plan and execute operations by driving resolution of C2 interoperability problems.”