USJFCOM Supports Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance

By Robert PursellApril 9, 2007

(NORFOLK, VA. - April 5, 2007) - The Distributed Common Ground Station (DCGS) 2007 conference focused on working towards shared vision of integrating joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems for the warfighter came to a close here today.

The conference discussed in depth the DCGS concept and how it impacts joint commanders and their warfighters in operations around the world.

"It basically takes the whole idea of net-centric warfare and applies it to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance," he said. "DCGS represents the point where all of the ISR capabilities that are available to the operational commander come together for processing, analysis, exploitation and dissemination," said USJFCOM's ISR Transformation Division Chief Christopher Jackson.

This year's conference, supported by U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), was titled "DCGS 2007 - Delivering the Net-centric ISR Enterprise." The event provided a forum by which over 750 attendees, including representatives from the services, industry, DoD agencies, and warfighters could keep up to date with DCGS developments.

The event consisted of several presentations and panel discussions based on the DCGS family of systems and how to work towards a shared view of integrating them.

It also served as a venue for industry to display products providing attendees with a chance to see some of the up and coming ISR technologies.

Jackson said there are five separate DCGS programs, one for each service. Currently, there is a mandate which ensures that all DCGS systems share common data and application, regardless of which service builds them.

USJFCOM's Director for Intelligence, Navy Capt. Kevin Frank explained the purpose of the conference.

"I really think it's bringing the community together, but also allows the industry folks and the folks in the non-governmental side to understand where we want to take this," he said.

Frank further explained that the goal was two-tiered.

"One is to bring all of the people involved in the DCGS world together so we can once again review where we are and where we may want to go," he said.

"The other important aspect is to bring in our other partners, whether they are from the labs or from industry, to really allow them some kind of view into what we're thinking about and we want to take it."

The conference opened with an introduction by Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, welcoming attendees to the conference. This was followed by an important panel discussion moderated by Frank, based on whether reach-back works or not.

Frank stressed the importance of having events like this one where the opportunity is there to work with industry.

"If we're not leveraging our industry and non-government partners to somehow have a view of what we want, what we need and where we're going, they won't be able to anticipate our need," he said.

At the conclusion of the three-day conference, participants received a tour of local Hampton Roads facilities, including the Joint Transformation Command for Intelligence's Joint Intelligence Operations Center - Transformation.