Intelligence

Department of Defense (DOD)
Intelligence Information System (DODIIS)

The Department of Defense (DOD) Intelligence Information System (DODIIS) defines the standards for intelligence systems and applications interoperability. The DODIIS provides, within limits, an integrated strategic to tactical user environment for performing identical intelligence functions on compatible systems. This DIA managed program incorporates the DISN secure networks under a single architecture. The system's primary components include the SECRET Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET), the JWICS, and the JDISS.

DoDIIS systems are developed individually by the Services, funded through the General Defense Intelligence Program (GDIP), and managed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) through the DMB. The DoDIIS reference model and open systems architecture standards were developed for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) by the Air Force Systems Command with the technical assistance of the MITRE Corporation. The DoDIIS standards are managed by the DoDIIS Management Board at DIA. The DoDIIS Standards Document prescribes the interface requirements for the seven service areas defined in the DoDIIS Reference Model:

1. Operating System Services
2. User Interface Services
3. Software Development Environment
4. Object Management Services
5. Object Interchange Services
6. Object Manipulation Services
7. Networking Services

The Defense intelligence community has jointly developed and benefited from a standard core of common intelligence processing systems. These systems have served the community well; however, many are reaching the end of their effective life cycle. Building common capabilities will reduce the cost of developing intelligence capabilities. DODIIS is also striving to incorporate as much commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software as practicable to reduce software development and operations and maintenance (O& M) costs.

In the existing environment, numerous databases, containing structured and unstructured (free-format) data, graphics (such as maps, overlays, and annotations), and imagery, are available to intelligence analysts. However, there are several major shortcomings to the methods currently used for storing, representing, and providing data to support intelligence analysis. Among the most prominent are:

1. The analyst must know which databases contain the data needed for a particular purpose and how to access those databases.
2. The analyst may encounter different values for the same data element, since data elements are often replicated in several databases and maintained independently.
3. There is no single, common representation for data, resulting in a requirement for translators and often leading to a reduction in accuracy and precision as data is propagated and shared among systems.
4. With the advent of multimedia capabilities, it is expected that analysts will soon be required to develop intelligence products which integrate voice and video as well as text, graphics, and imagery, further complicating the difficulties associated with bringing together large amounts of information.

3.1.2 DODIIS Data Architecture Objectives

The DODIIS objective data handling capability is to present analysts with a comprehensive, consistent view of multimedia data. Various items of data, regardless of medium, will be linked together according to predefined relationships included in a data dictionary/directory, and presented to the analyst as the result of a single query. The analyst will not have to know where the data is located, or the mechanisms needed for retrieving it. The data may be located in a single database or contained in physically separated computers that use different database management systems managed and controlled by different organizations. Further, only one version of any given data element will exist, although there may be multiple copies distributed in such a way as to minimize retrieval time.

In addition, the information system will support "views" into a global data model. Analysts (and applications) will be able to specify relevant subsets of the total data available. Imagery analysts could, for example, use a predefined "Imagery Data" view. The analyst could also specify data categories for a tailored view composed of a combination of imagery, relevant free-text messages, broadcast television news reports, and maps. A key point of the objective data architecture is that analyst views into DODIIS data could be changed readily to meet the needs of the analyst without significant modification of the underlying data structures.

In order to contain the functional costs of performing the DOD mission, the Deputy Secretary of Defense directed, in a 13 October 1993 Memorandum, that DOD Components focus their efforts on functional process improvement, selection of standard migration systems, and data standardization objectives that are an integral part of the Corporate Information Management initiative. In particular DOD Components were directed to accelerate the selection and deployment of migration systems and the selection and implementation of data standards. Near-term guidelines established in the 13 October memorandum were augmented by the ASD(C3I) in 12 November 1993 and 20 December 1993 memorandums. The Intelligence Systems Board (ISB) evaluated and consolidated the inputs for intelligence community migration systems.

As a first step in complying with the 13 October DOD Memorandum, the DODIIS Management Board (DMB) directed the formation of a joint Engineering Review Board (ERB) and System Integration Management Office (SIMO) team. The team's objective was to select DODIIS Migration Systems and submit the nominations to the Intelligence Systems Board (ISB) for approval. By-products of the DODIIS Migration Systems selection process included the identification of community legacy systems and the recognition that there is a need to support site-unique systems within the overall migration effort.

Migration Systems were selected for each of the categories and/or sub-categories. Details of the selection process can be found in a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)/S-FM Memorandum, subject DODIIS Migration Systems. The transition to the target architecture (i.e., an architecture in which all DODIIS sites are solely supported by DODIIS Migration Systems and site-unique systems) is expected to be completed by 31 March 1997.