Army Digitization Master Plan (ADMP)

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 Army Digitization Master Plan (ADMP) Purpose

The Plan

The ADMP supports the introduction of information technologies as the Army transforms to a 21st century force (Force XXI). Specifically, the ADMP addresses Force XXI strategies, responsibilities, requirements, acquisition, experimentation methodology, management processes, and the manner in which coordination of the digital battlefield is being carried out within the Army, other Services, and our Allies and friends.

A Living Document

The ADMP is a living document. The Army Digitization Office (ADO) will update the ADMP with each Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBES) cycle and after each implementation milestone.

1.2 Force XXI and Digitization

The Vision

The Army digitization effort is a vital part of the larger Army process for meeting the challenges of the 21st century. The Industrial Age is being superseded by Force XXI. Accordingly, the Force XXI Campaign Plan describes three main axes for modernization of the force: redesigning the Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA)/Institutional Army, redesigning the operational Army through Joint Venture, and integrating modern information technology through the ADO (see figure 1-1).

Figure 1-1 Three Axes

The Louisiana Maneuvers Task Force (LAMTF) synchronizes the efforts of these three axes and provides the means for senior Army leadership to focus on critical issues, make policy decisions, and guide the allocation of resources.

Joint Venture Axis

Joint Venture redesigns the operational Army. It is a partnership effort led by the Commanding General, US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), in conjunction with the Army Major Commands (MACOMs) and the Army Staff (ARSTAF). The intent of Joint Venture is to provide a framework to assess operational capabilities and guide future doctrine, training, leader development, organizations, materiel, and soldiers (DTLOMS). It serves as the basis to develop the capability of Army forces to conduct su ccessful operations under Joint command and win battles in modern, knowledge-based warfare. Joint Venture will examine organizational tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP), and technology alternatives that will enhance the lethality, survivability, and battle command capabilities of the operating forces.

TDA/ Institutional Army Axis

The TDA/Institutional axis, led by the ARSTAF, focuses on the concept, processes, and design of the institutional Army and its sustaining base. Synchronization is necessary with the Joint Venture and the ADO axis to ensure a seamless linkage from the foxhole to the factory. These efforts aim at continuous improvement to the organization in order to meet the continuing challenges of an uncertain world.

Digitization Axis

The ADO axis provides for the introduction of modern information technologies throughout the force to optimize our capabilities. It is to this axis that the term "digitization" is applied. The ADO balances the requirements generated by TRADOC with the technology developed by the acquisition community to enable the Army to evolve into Force XXI.

The ADMP focuses on the execution of the ADO axis which requires assimilation of modern information technologies into the force. Iterative cycles of experimenting, learning, and deciding on modernization initiatives characterize the execution process. This is supported by streamlined acquisition processes that allow faster implementation of decisions.

1.3 Digitization Definition

Digitizing the battlefield is the application of technologies to acquire, exchange, and employ timely digital information throughout the battlespace, tailored to the needs of each decider (commander), shooter, and supporter. Digitization allows each soldier to maintain a clear and accurate vision of the common battlespace necessary to support planning and execution.

Digitization provides the warfighters a horizontally and vertically integrated digital information network that supports warfighting systems and assures command and control (C2) decision-cycle superiority. The intent is to create a simultaneous, appropriate picture of the battlefield from soldier to commander at each echelon.

This picture is based on common data collected through the network of sensors, command posts, processors, and weapons platforms. This allows participants to aggregate relevant information and maintain an awareness of what is happening around them, both friendly and enemy forces.

What Digitization Does

Digitization is an enabler to achieve interoperability internal to the Army as well as with sister Services and Allied forces. It helps the Army of the 21st century be more survivable and more lethal while executing at an increased tempo. Digitization allows the employment of forces in a highly mobile, synergistic, and overwhelming manner.

Digitization also makes possible the implementation of new DTLOMS allowing domination of the battlefields, just as the implementation of AirLand Battle's DTLOMS was a keystone ingredient to the Army's success in the deserts of southern Iraq.

Establishment of the ADO

To accomplish the digitization goal, the Department of the Army (DA) Digitization Special Task Force (STF), formed in January 1994, developed an initial digitization strategy for the force and created the nucleus of the ADO. Established in July 1994, the ADO oversees and coordinates the integration of Army battlefield digitization activities. The ADO's extended membership includes doctrinal thinkers, technical experts, procurement officials, and representatives working together with industry to capita lize on information-age technology.

ADO Role

The ADO is the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army's (VCSA's) instrument for digitization activities across the major commands. Likewise, the ADO is the Army Acquisition Executive's (AAE's) instrument for providing guidance, assistance, and coordination in acquisition matters related to digitization.

The ADO is specifically charged with advising the VCSA and AAE on all matters concerning the integration of digital capabilities across the force and overseeing the integration of Army digitization activities consistent with the AAE's and Chief of Staff of the Army's (CSA's) vision. The ADO maintains the ADMP and monitors Army-wide digitization integration to ensure consistency with the Master Plan. The ADO uses a digitization Management Decision Package (MDEP) as an oversight mechanism to integrate d evelopment activities. Additionally, the ADO develops acquisition strategies to support the strategic direction provided by the Army leadership.

1.4 Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI)

Relationship to HTI

HTI is a key component of the modernization strategy essential to effective system upgrades and that capitalizes on new technology in near-to-mid term. It is the simultaneous integration of complementary technologies into families of systems that fight and operate together on the battlefield. Integrating complementary technologies into every combat system in a unit creates a synergy that gives unit greater combat power sooner than would upgrading in the old manner - a system at a time across the entir e force. HTI increases the combat power of the Army a unit at a time with priority given to the contingency forces, the first to be deployed. This maximizes the combat power of those forces sooner, honing the spearhead of any force the Army must deploy.

There are three HTI initiatives: Digitization, Battlefield Combat Identification System (BCIS), and the Second Generation Forward Looking Infra-red (FLIR) system. BCIS and Second Generation FLIR, while not part of the digitization effort, are closely monitored to ensure the necessary linkages for generated data are maintained and redundancies eliminated.

Figure 1-2 Overmatching Technology Strategy for the 21st Century

HTI breaks away from traditional stovepipe processes of individual system requirements and looks instead at the overall force requirements on the battlefield. HTI integrates dissimilar weapon systems (e.g., tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored vehicles, artillery, aircraft, command and control vehicles, etc.) with common technology through either new acquisitions, pre-planned product improvements (P3I), or system-component upgrades (also see Annex L).

1.5 Army Enterprise Strategy

Relationship to Enterprise Strategy

The Army Enterprise Strategy (Vision and Implementation Plan) details the Army implementation of the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) for the Warrior Vision established by the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Battlefield digitization is one of the ten principles of the Army Enterprise Strategy that assures the Warfighter will have information superiority over any opponent. Other supporting Enterprise principles to battlefield digitization are: optimization of the information technology environment, ensuring joint interoperability, acquiring integrated systems using commercial technology, and exploitation of modeling and simulation. The ADMP guides near-term applique development, reinforces the Army Enterprise Vision, and focuses institutional developments, redesign of the operational Army, and the integration of modern information technology into Army forces. The Army Enterprise Strategy Implementation Plan specifically supports the requirements of Force XXI throu gh identification of tasks for development of Operational, Technical, and System Architectures.

1.6 Responsibilities

The nature and aggressive time schedule of the Army digitization effort require the coordinated actions of all agencies involved to successfully accomplish modernization objectives. The following is a listing of the primary partners in this process and their responsibilities related to digitization.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition (SARDA)/Army Acquisition Executive (AAE)

SARDA/AAE

The SARDA/AAE is responsible for:

Sponsoring Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATDs) that bring digital capabilities to a state of technical maturity, permitting their capabilities to be proven in Battle Lab Warfighting Experiments (BLWEs) and AWEs.
Providing Army Staff-level planning, authorization, and funding support for Force XXI requirements.
Serving as the Army Technical Architect.
Coordinating digitization science and technology efforts with the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).
Ensuring the digitization effort capitalizes on acquisition streamlining initiatives.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Coordinating Technical Architectures and Science and Technology efforts with Joint and DoD C4I agency Component Acquisition Executives (CAEs).

Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans (DCSOPS), Headquarters, Department of the Army

DCSOPS

The DCSOPS is responsible for:

Integrating and synchronizing Army Staff efforts across all three axes of the Force XXI Campaign Plan, and leading the axis to re-engineer the TDA/Institutional Army in concert with Army Commanders.
Adjusting the fielding schedules of programs, such as Army Tactical Command and Control Systems (ATCCS), and Tactical Radio Communications Systems, as required by the Experimentation Force (EXFOR).
Ensuring digitization programs are prioritized consistent with CSA's goals to field a digitized force.
Validating the Operational Architecture developed by TRADOC.
Coordinating Land Information Warfare activities.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.

Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications and Computers (DISC4), Headquarters, Department of the Army

DISC4

The DISC4 is responsible for:

Supporting the AAE by developing and maintaining the Army's Technical Architecture for both battlefield systems and installations with the support of Army Program Executive Offices (PEOs), Major Commands (MACOMs), and agencies.
Ensuring Army Enterprise Strategy tasks are consistent with the Army's accepted definitions of Operational, Technical, and Systems Architectures.
Exercising spectrum management responsibilities in support of the digitization efforts.
Establishing Army policies for Multi-Level Security (MLS).
Coordinating the Army's Technical Architecture with other Services.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Overseeing requirement developments for the Battlefield Information Transmission System (BITS).
Overseeing data standardization efforts for Army and interface for Joint data standardization.

Army Digitization Office (ADO), Headquarters, Department of the Army

ADO

The ADO is responsible for:

Overseeing and coordinating the integration and interoperability of Army battlefield digitization activities.
Providing guidance, assistance, and direction in acquisition matters related to digitization.
Applying streamlined acquisition procedures to emerging technologies in order to accomplish the Force XXI digitization objectives.
Coordinating and synchronizing the efforts of combat and materiel developers to develop and deploy information technologies needed for the wide range of future military operations.
Assuring the implementation of the digitization Technical Architecture is compliant with the Global Command and Control System (GCCS) Common Operating Environment (COE).
Coordinating with the Joint Staff and Commanders-in-Chiefs (CINCs) on all ADMP matters that impact on maintaining interoperability of all Joint information exchanges.
Coordinating with the Joint Staff and CINCs to ensure that all ADMP software programs and protocols, and Internet Protocol (IP) router plans and data rates for all Joint information exchanges remain interoperable.
Maintaining the ADMP.
Monitoring Army-wide digitization integration to ensure consistency with the ADMP.
Advising the VCSA and AAE on all matters concerning the integration of digital capabilities across the force.
ADO responsibilities are further documented in the charter signed by the VCSA and the AAE (Annex A).

US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)

FORSCOM

FORSCOM is responsible for:

Providing personnel and resources in accordance with FORSCOM/TRADOC FORCE XXI Experimental Force (EXFOR) and alignment of TRADOC Battle Labs with FORSCOM units Memorandums of Agreement (MOA).
Providing feedback to the ARSTAF concerning the utility of fielded equipment associated with digitization.
Assisting in design and review of Joint/Combined information exchange requirements.

US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Joint Venture

TRADOC

TRADOC is responsible for:

Redesigning the operating force to be knowledge-based, modular in design, and tailorable in capability.
Planning, coordinating, conducting, and analyzing AWEs and BLWEs to provide timely feedback for decisions of Force XXI design.
Reviewing annual Total Army Analysis and Program Objective Memorandum for conformance with Army priorities stemming from Joint Venture experiments.
Coordinating Joint Venture experiments and findings with other Services and Allies.
Developing and documenting operational requirements associated with the Horizontal Integration of Battle Command (HIBC) Mission Needs Statement (MNS).
Developing and updating the Operational Architectures.
Defining, coordinating, and consolidating Joint and Combined information exchange requirements.
Developing, in conjunction with the materiel developers, BLWEs that evaluate and refine the operational capabilities of new equipment and software from the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2) contract, related ATDs and other digitization related development efforts.
Aligning Advanced Concepts and Technology II (ACT II) BLWEs with digitization objectives.
Developing programs (in conjunction with the FORSCOM, PEOs, and AMC), for training EXFOR personnel to operate and maintain the digital equipment.
Defining Joint and Combined information exchange requirements in coordination with Joint Staff, CINCs, DISA and Joint Interoperability Test Center (JITC).
Designing, resourcing, executing, and evaluating AWEs.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Developing criteria for evaluating the operational effectiveness for digitization.

US Army Materiel Command (AMC)

AMC

AMC is responsible for:

Maintaining oversight of the Technical Information Architecture through matrix support to PEOs/Program Managers (PMs).
Serving as the Army's Systems Engineer reporting to the Technical Architect for system engineering and technical architecture matters.
Providing matrix systems engineering support to the Army Technical Architect and PEOs/PMs.
Coordinating all information technology generation and application efforts as they relate to the Army digitization effort.
Providing matrix support to the AAE and DISC4 for developing and maintaining the Army Technical Architecture by evaluating solicitations, proposals and system designs for compliance.
Interfacing with Joint/Coalition technical agencies.
Providing recommendations for updates to the Technical Architecture.
Participating and influencing commercial standards and forms.
Providing expertise in the latest information processing technologies.
Evaluating hands-on commercial technologies.
Establishing and maintaining the Digital Integration Laboratory (DIL) for the verification of prototype hardware and software to meet the functional and interoperability requirements.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Serving as the Army Executive Agent for international digitization efforts and technology sharing with Allies.
Coordinating Platform Integration.
Providing technical assistance, subject matter expertise, and material support to exercises and experiments.

US Army Space and Strategic Defense Command (SSDC)

SSDC

SSDC is responsible for:

Coordinating the inclusion of space and missile defense capabilities into Force XXI.
Providing space and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) mode modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.

All Program Executive Offices (PEOs) and Program Managers (PMs)

PEOs/ PMs

All PEOs and PMs are responsible for:

Providing periodic digitization reviews.
Developing a plan to migrate to the DoD Technical Architecture.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Supporting the experimentation process.
Accomplishing specified installation kit responsibilities.

Responsibilities for tasks associated with applique (digitization processing equipment added to vehicles) and communications systems installation kits will be split between the FBCB2 PM and the various platform PMs/Item Managers (IMs). The installation kits include mounting brackets, holsters, wires, and other similar items. The installation kits do not include line removable applique items. The following table depicts which PM has responsibility for each task. The FBCB2 Program will provide funding for these tasks.

Figure 1-3 Installation Kit Responsibilities

PEO Command and Control Systems (CCS)

PEO CCS

The PEO CCS is responsible for:

Managing the acquisition of hardware, software, and systems engineering support for integrated command and control systems, with support from AMC.
Managing the ADO system integration effort, with support from AMC.
Preparing - in coordination with the ADO, an applique Experimentation Master Plan (EXMP).
Developing the COE documentation.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Developing and enforcing the standards of COE.
Preparing, in coordination with the ADO, a capstone EXMP which integrates the test programs of the following PEOs: COMM, CCS, ASM, Avn, MD and IEW.

PEO Communications (COMM)

PEO COMM

The PEO COMM is responsible for:

Providing the communications infrastructure needed to support reliable, horizontal and vertical seamless connections. This includes the following networks: Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS), Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), Joint Tactical Data System (JTIDS) and Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE); as well as the Marine Corps and Air Force communications equipment and commercial communication equipment.
Managing the development of the tactical internet in accordance with Army's Technical Architecture, with support from AMC.
Defining the communications protocols and standards for COE.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.

PEOs for Armored Systems Modernization (ASM), Aviation (Avn), Missile Defense (MD), Tactical Missiles (TM) and Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (IEW)

PEOs: ASM, Avn, MD, TM, IEW

The PEO ASM, PEO Avn, PEO MD, PEO TM, and PEO IEW are responsible for:

Upgrading existing system computer processors, displays, radios, navigation equipment, and underlying software and computer operating systems consistent with the Army's System, Operational, and Technical Architectures.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Ensuring that protocols and systems interface with and incorporate the COE.

Major Commands (MACOMs)

MACOMs

MACOMs are responsible for:

Coordinating digitization efforts with the ADO.
Providing feedback on the utility of fielded equipment and perceived needs for DTLOMS enhancements based upon battlefield digitization.

US Army Operational Test and Evaluation Command (OPTEC)

OPTEC

OPTEC is responsible for:

Providing an independent evaluation of the operational utility and suitability of digitization hardware and software.
Planning for and participating in the entire spectrum of digitization field experiments.
Providing a continuous and iterative suitability analysis to guide the development process and support acquisition decisions.
Serving as the lead evaluation agency supporting the ADO.
Establishing a rolling baseline to support digitization experiments.
Providing modeling and simulation support as appropriate for digitization.
Assisting in development of test plans and procedures for individual or phased efforts for Force XXI digitization AWEs, ABCs and COE applications and software tests.
Reviewing and evaluating training needs and effectiveness.

Director, Louisiana Maneuvers Task Force (LAMTF)

LAMTF

LAMTF is responsible for:

Maintaining the Force XXI Campaign Plan.
Integrating and synchronizing all Force XXI efforts across the three axes of the Campaign Plan.

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Military

Army Digitization Master Plan (ADMP)

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION