1. UNIS Technical Exchange Meeting December, 1-3, US-NATO Air C2 Interoperability The Current & The Future Mutlu Uysal C2 Systems Group NATO C3 Agency
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2. Interface Means for the interoperability
OVERVIEW
Introduction
Interoperability Challenge
NATO Network Enabled Capability Concept
NATO Integrated Command & Control (ICC) System
Interface Means for the interoperability
Formatted Message-based (ADatP3, USMTF)
Chat capabilities (JCHAT-Traverse)
Near real time data exchange (through NIRIS)
NEC mechanisms such as web services etc.
Lessons Learned & Challenges
Summary & Conclusion
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3. Interoperability Challenge
Information is available from many sources and is needed by many different systems/users. It must be:
Securely Shared
Commonly Understood ?
…challenge is how?
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4. Network Enabled Capability (NEC) The Theory
The right information at right time at right place to right users.
Improve operational effectiveness through the federation of individual capabilities.
Seamless linking of sensors, weapon systems, C2 systems and decision makers in a collaborative environment for planning, assessment and execution.
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5. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Web Services The Reality
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Service Producer 1
Service Producer 2
Service Producer n
Publish
Service Registry
Service Request
Service Response
NETWORK
Find
SERVICE CONSUMERS
Service Consumers1
Service Consumers 2
Service Consumers n
Web Services:
XML
Machine to Machine interface
Web Browsing:
HTML
Machine to Human interface
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6. Applying theory to an Existing NATO Integrated Command & Control (ICC) System The Example
Operational NATO system
Wide spread usage at NATO ~400 sites in 23 countries, including ISAF theater.
Supports planning, tasking, and execution process for NATO air operations
Integrated tool across all levels of command
Networked
Interoperable with many systems
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7. ICC Architecture for NNEC Extensions
ICC Server (Database,COSI)
ICC Web Application Server
TOMCAT
XML
WISI
WSDL
Clients consuming ICC NEC Capabilities
Oracle
Web Service Clients
COSI
ICC WEB
URL
HTML
Clients viewing ICC Web pages
CORBA
ICC Client
Standard ICC Architecture
NEC Extension modules
Systems can be enhanced to utilize NEC by adding a service layer to their current architecture in order to increase their interoperability with external systems.
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8. ICC Interface Solutions
Formatted Messages
ADatP3, USMTF
e.g. ATO, ACO, AIRSTAR, SSREP, ASACSTAT, MISREP, etc.
ICC Import/Export (IXI)
ICC format (similar to ADatP3)
mostly limited to SETUP and ORBAT
XML format
bulk format for JTS target data
.max format for MAOP data
.mix format for ICC memory dump
TDL/DL via NIRIS
L1, L11, L16, OTH Gold
ICC Standard Interface (ISI)
Software Development Kit (C/C++ or CORBA)
ICC Web Services
ATO, ACO, Targeting, Common Mission Definition (CMD), etc.
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9. ICC - TBMCS Interface in ISAF
ACM Airspaces are IMPORTED into ICC DB as an ACO and can be viewed in ASMAN, modified, amended, previewed, etc.
ATO Missions are IMPORTED into ICC DB as an ATO and can be viewed in SALTO and MTOTE, modified, amended, previewed, etc.
ICC ATO/
ACO Loader (part of ICC 2.7+)
ICC Database ATO / ACO / Resources
USMTF 98/2000 ATO
MTOTE SALTO ASMAN
USMTF 98/2000 ACO
NATO AdatP3 ATO and ACO
Theater Set-up Data
USAFE
Developed
Conversion Tool
ICC Export
Files
Import Tool
USMTF ACO
TBMCS 1.1.3
ICC 2.7
ACM Requests
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10. Summary of ICC - TBMCS Interface in ISAF
Message
Message Type
Provider
Consumer
FROB
ICC Export
US-TBMCS
NATO-ICC
ATO
USMTF2000
ACO
ACMREQ
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11. JCHAT- Transverse Collaboration
Potential interoperability capabilities:
- Supported XMPP chat standard (Presence, one-to-one chat, group chat ..)
-Web based Chat
-Cross Domain Multiple Domain (>2) Support
-Whiteboard (SVG vice NVG)
-Bi-Directional Language Translation
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12. GCCS / ICC Interface through NIRIS
OTH- GOLD
GCCS
NIRIS
ICC can consume OTH-GOLD data sent by GCCS through NIRIS and display it on its map.
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13. NEC related Experiments 1. ICC/TBMCS/ACCS Mission Exchange
ICC Mission Services
ICC Server
NETWORK
SERVICE PRODUCERS
SERVICE CONSUMERS
ICC Client
TBMCS Server
TBMCS Mission Services
ACCS Server
ACCS Mission Services
TBMCS Client
ACCS Client
Same interface for all systems using common models!
In this experiment, mission data was exchanged in between ICC, ACCS and US TBMCS using a common model and mechanism.
It should be preferred to reference to some commonly accepted models in interfaces rather than defining new models whenever possible.
Experimented at NATO CWID 07/08 (Lillehammer, Norway).
Mission data was exchanged using common models (CMD) and mechanisms (RSS).
Also extended for FROB and ACO exchange, however ICC had limited support for them.
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14. What is RSS? Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary
Format for Syndicating Content, de-facto XML standard for “advertising” data
Format for delivering summaries of regularly changing web contents
Includes a list of items with some meta-data and explicit URL links for retrieving details of each individual item.
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15. Example RSS feed for ICC missions
This URL link provides details of ICC Mission 1 in CMD XML format.
Meta-data for mission 1
Meta-data for mission 2
In this experiment, mission data was exchanged in between ICC, ACCS and US TBMCS using a common model and mechanism.
It should be preferred to reference to some commonly accepted models in interfaces rather than defining new models whenever possible.
This URL link provides details of ICC Mission 2 in CMD XML format.
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16. NEC related Experiments 2. ICC/JASMAD ACO Exchange
ACO Web Services
ICC Server
NETWORK
SERVICE PRODUCERS
SERVICE CONSUMERS
JASMAD
JASMAD is a new USAF airspace management and deconfliction application.
ACO Request
ACO Data
Experimented at NATO CWID 08 (Lillehammer, Norway).
JASMAD successfully consumed ICC ACO web services.
ICC web services were providing ACO data using its own schema. Therefore, transformation was required by JASMAD.
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17. NEC related Experiments 3. NATO JTS/ US JTT Target Exchange
JTT Server
JTS Server
Step 4: Insert target list to the JTS database using JTS web services
Step 2: Invoke JTT target web Services
JTS Web Services
ICC Import Tool
JTT Web Services
Step 3: Get the results from JTT target web Services
CORBA Services
Step 5: Read imported target list/target using JTS client
Step 1: Import JTT Targets/Lists using ICC Import Tool
JTS Client
Web-based ICC Import Tool
Experimented at JFEX-08 (WPC Germany / Langley US).
Successfully demonstrated the capability to exchange targets between NATO JTS & US JTT using web services.
An Import tool was developed by ICC for this purpose.
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18. Lessons Learned from NNEC Experiments
Service Definition
- Web service interface should be well-defined.
- Good balance on the granularity of the services.
- Refer to common models as much as possible.
Quality of Service
Critical.
Load balance testing activities.
Compression techniques to minimize the bandwidth usage.
Still need to use the native interfaces for internal tasks for performance matters.
Service Definition
- The web service interface should be well-defined to prevent misunderstandings and misinterpretations between the providers and consumers.
- There should be a good balance on the granularity of the services which will result either larger amounts of data to be exchanged in a single call or many service calls each of which is returning a small amount of data.
Quality of Service
- Quality of service issues should be considered as critical from the start until the end of the projects. Load balance testing activities should be considered as part of the development process starting from the early phases.
Applying some compression techniques for web services may help to minimize the bandwidth usage .
In some cases, there may still be need to use the native interfaces for internal tasks for performance matters.
Service Provisioning
Maintainability of all the services in the network is very crucial. Services add another level of complexity to the maintainability for the support staff.
If the number of services available on the network increases, the need for a global service registry becomes vital.
Service Provisioning
Complexity of the maintainability for the support staff.
Need for a global service registry.
The role of Enterprise service buses (ESB) in future.
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19. Challenges of SOA Quality of service Security
- Mechanisms to ensure that quality of service is at an acceptable level and it should be continually monitored especially in WAN.
Security
- Data should be securely shared among the providers and consumers.
Requires change in the way the software is traditionally developed.
- The focus is reuse rather than re-implement.
Still emerging
- All the supporting technology for the SOA is still emerging.
Quality of service
There should be mechanisms to ensure that quality of service is at an acceptable level and it should be continually monitored especially in WAN.
Security
There should be enterprise level security mechanisms which ensure that data is securely shared among the providers and consumers.
Requires change in the way the software is traditionally developed.
In this new methodology, the focus is reuse rather than re-implement.
Still emerging
All the supporting technology for the SOA is still emerging and new requirements may appear with new developments in the underlying technology.
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20. Towards Service Oriented Architecture
PAST
FUTURE
Application infrastructures should be moved from an inefficient, inflexible model - with vertical, stovepipe applications - to a less expensive, enterprise-wide model that delivers a reusable suite of interoperable services.
Should be moved from an inefficient model - with vertical, stovepipe applications - to an enterprise-wide model that delivers a reusable suite of interoperable services.
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21. Future Interoperability with ESB’s
TBMCS
C2PC
CPOF
JTT
ICC
JTS
JOCWatch
Intel FS
US Interoperability Bus
NATO Interoperability Bus
JADOCS
GCCS
Others
EVE
CORSOM
Others
Application infrastructures should be moved from an inefficient, inflexible model - with vertical, stovepipe applications - to a less expensive, enterprise-wide model that delivers a reusable suite of interoperable services.
Rather than having a point to point connections between all systems, the interoperability is achieved through the enterprise service buses.
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22. Some Remarks About NATO-US C2 Systems Interoperability
Interoperability between NATO & US C2 systems in theater is crucial.
Experimentation in theater is impossible.
Need to have experimentation & validation of solutions prior to fielding.
Lab environment for experimentation.
Events such as CWID etc. are important for validation and demonstrations.
NATO attendance to AirOps COI is crucial. NATO is not authorized to attend STRIKE COI. COI models are very important to achieve interoperability.
Quality of service
There should be mechanisms to ensure that quality of service is at an acceptable level and it should be continually monitored especially in WAN.
Security
There should be enterprise level security mechanisms which ensure that data is securely shared among the providers and consumers.
Requires change in the way the software is traditionally developed.
In this new methodology, the focus is reuse rather than re-implement.
Still emerging
All the supporting technology for the SOA is still emerging and new requirements may appear with new developments in the underlying technology.
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23. Summary of the presentation
There are different means of interoperability between NATO and US systems such as messaging, chat capabilities, web services etc.
SOA and web services enable loosely coupled integration between the information providers and consumers. More effort needed to support these technologies for seamless integration.
Some topics to study on in future are: - COI data models
the role of ESB’s in the architecture
security issues in cross domain(WS-Security, WS- Trust)
Experimentation at lab environments, validation & demonstration at exercises such as CWID is crucial for enhancing the interoperability between NATO & US.
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24. COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? For more information contact:
WHEN?
HOW?
Could you...?
That’s not right!
COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS?
For more information contact:
ICC Project NC3A, The Hague, The Netherlands
CRONOS: NC3A Support ICC
tel fax
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25. Contacting NC3A NC3A Brussels NC3A The Hague Visiting address:
Bâtiment Z Avenue du Bourget 140 B-1110 Brussels Telephone +32 (0) Fax +32 (0)
Postal address: NATO C3 Agency Boulevard Leopold III B-1110 Brussels Belgium
NC3A The Hague
Visiting address:
Oude Waalsdorperweg AK The Hague Telephone +31 (0) Fax +31 (0)
Postal address: NATO C3 Agency P.O. Box CD The Hague The Netherlands
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26. BACKUP SLIDES
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27. NEC related Experiments Joint Common Operational Picture (JCOP)
JCOP Light Client (IGEOSIT)
ICC WS
ICC
JCOP Web Client (JWEB)
JCOP Rich Client (ICC)
NETWORK
SERVICE PRODUCERS
SERVICE CONSUMERS
LC2IS WS
LC2IS
MCCIS WS
MCCIS
IGEOSIT WS
IGEOSIT
NIRIS WS
NIRIS
Aims to provide a common operational picture to the NATO users to increase the situational awareness.
Utilized NEC concepts as much as possible.
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28. NEC related Experiments JTS/ACCS Target Data Exchange
Usage of Enterprise Service Bus tool for orchestration.
Prevents point-to-point connections, however should also be maintained separately.
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29. NEC related Experiments Time Sensitive Targeting (TST) Data Exchange
FAST Web Application Server (TOMCAT)
FAST Web Service Consumers
FAST Alert Server
getAllKillboxes request
FAST WS Consumer
FAST Web
Services
WSDL
SOAP/XML
FAST XML
Data Store
getAllKillboxes response
FAST Native Interface
FAST Notification
Producer
FAST WS Notification Consumer
SOAP/XML
OASIS WSN WSDL
Invoking notify method
FAST Network
Notification Subscription Resource File
FAST XML
Data Store
FAST XML
Data Store
FAST Client
FAST Client
Standard FAST Architecture
FAST NNEC Extension
OASIS Web service Notification (WS-N) standard is used for notifications.
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