AML Requirements Template
Background
1.
Additional Military Layers (AML) is an endorsed NATO initiative
(STANAG 7170), co-ordinated by the UKHO on behalf of DI-ICSP, to develop
a range of comprehensive, integrated digital data products to satisfy
requirements for non-navigation geospatial information to support Situational
Awareness (SA) through data visualisation and input to planning and decision
aids in operational systems.
The types of information to be included in the overall AML service include:
• Bathymetric Contours to support a wide range of display scales
• Routes, Areas & Limits including fishery & TW limits, danger &
exercise areas, Q Routes
• Full wrecks and major bottom object information
• Mine Counter Measures (MCM) contacts
• Detailed beach and seabed environmental data
• Generalised Coastline and boundaries for contextualisation together
with major lights and buoys and other significant features
The data content model for AML is defined in a range of Product
Specifications. These can be found on the UKHO AML website
www.ukho.gov.uk/add/servicesAMLProductSpec.asp.
AML data is not provided as a database and will be delivered in S-57 file
format.
Purpose and Scope
2.
This document has been produced to assist UK MoD Directorates of
Equipment Capability (DECs), Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) and
contractors by providing guidance in specifying AML features and attributes
required in future systems. This guidance addresses the implementation of
version 1.0 of the AML vector products only. Any requirement for modification
to Intergrated Water Column (IWC), Atmospheric and Meteorological
Climatology (AMC) and Network Model Bathymetry (NMB) will need to be
discussed on a case by case basis. The six AML vector products are:
• Environment, Seabed and Beach (ESB)
• Contour Line Bathymetry (CLB)
• Large Bottom Objects (LBO)
• Maritime Foundation and Facilities (MFF)
• Routes, Areas and Limits (RAL)
• Small Bottom Objects (SBO)
Version 1.0 of the six vector product specifications was published in
November 2001. Version 2.0 was published in July 2004 (now released as
version 2.1). At present the UKHO only produces AML data compliant with
version 1.0 specifications and the attached spreadsheet has been derived
from this version. There are over 350 different types of real world object
carried within the specifications for the six vector products and each of these
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carries a number of attributes. LBO, RAL and SBO AML products can be
considered unscaled because they contain only features that are points or
regular geometric shapes, defined by specified geographical co-ordinates.
CLB, ESB and MFF AML products contain features such as coastlines and
contours which are generated in a more generalised way at smaller scales.
These products therefore need to be prepared for use within a range of scale
bands intended for different purposes. For example CLB can be produced in
nine scale bands for usages including:



Tactical and strategic planning,
Ocean operations,
Detailed tactical operations e.g. mine counter measures and
amphibious operations
3.
The scale bands are based on the following scales with the intention
that the data should be displayed at scales ranging from 40% to 250% of its
original scale.
Scale band
Data scale
Range of Intended Data Display
Scale
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Unscaled
1:100,000,000 or smaller
1:25,000,000
1:5,000,000
1:1,000,000
1:250,000
1:50,000
1:10,000
1:2,500
1:600 or larger
<1:40,000,000
1:10,000,000 to 1:62,500,000
1:2,000,000 to 1:12,500,000
1:400,000
to 1:2,500,000
1:100,000
to
1:625,000
1:20,000
to
1:125,000
1:4,000
to
1:25,000
1:1,000
to
1:6,250
>1:1,500
Figure 1 Scale Bands
In practice, for most products data is produced at scale bands 3 to 7.
AML Exploitation in Systems
4.
AML data is intended to be utilised in a variety of systems e.g. Warship
Electronic Display and Information System (WECDIS), Command Systems,
Mine Warfare systems, Sonar and others. Whilst it is anticipated that the
norm will be for systems to take all available data within a given AML Product
or Layer, it is recognised that some systems will not wish to take all data
either because there is no functional requirement or a system constraint such
as processing or memory limitations. Experience to date has clearly
demonstrated that the specification of the precise data requirements for a
specific system will require close liaison between the AML development team
and the IPT or the appropriate authority.
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Information Required from the IPT
AML Features and Attributes
5.
Each AML product is composed of a number of objects (feature object
classes). These objects describe real world objects (e.g. a Wreck). These
objects may have attributes. These attributes describe details about the object
(e.g. category of wreck, date sunk, and depth of water over feature). In many
cases these attributes have a defined list of values. If the system requirement
calls for a subset data of AML Features and or Attributes, rather than the full
standard product, then the accompanying AML requirements template must
be completed. This spreadsheet is composed of nine tabs.
Cover: front page of the spreadsheet
Other Information: defines general information about the data
required e.g. AML products required, scale, geographical area etc.
LBO
Each contains a list of available
SBO
feature classes and associated
CLB
attributes. Attribute values are
MFF
listed for all associated attributes
RAL
whose values must be selected
ESB
from a predefined list
Generic Attributes: a list of all generic attributes. Every object
contains a list of generic attributes in addition to the specific attributes
listed in the product specific tabs.
Each product tab is subdivided into three types of feature objects; Geo
objects, Meta objects and Collection objects (where applicable)

Geo Objects: Geo objects are those containing the descriptive
characteristics of a real world object e.g. Wreck.

Meta Objects: Meta objects are those containing the information about
other objects. Meta objects are used to provide information about the
data set. They provide “data about the data”.

Collection Objects: Collection objects are those containing
information about the relationships between objects. Collection objects
are used to associate or aggregate a number of objects. For example
the various parts of a traffic separation scheme can be aggregated.
Completion of the spreadsheet
6.
The customer is required to indicate which geo, collection and meta
objects are required by filling in the columns beside each with a E (essential),
D (desirable) or X (not required). For each required object the customer must
then indicate which attributes are required by filling in the columns with an E,
D or X value. For each required attribute the user must define (if listed) what
values of that attribute are required by filling in the columns with an E, D or X
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value. The spreadsheet is provided with the columns populated with an X
entry.
System Data Filtering
7.
Provision of system design documentation detailing the way in which
data is structured and filtered prior to rendering will be required to enable
UKHO to provide advice on the appropriate level of data reduction. However,
UKHO cannot provide role specific data cuts within the system boundary e.g.
for individual workstations. This is a system/IPT responsibility.
Other Information Required
8.






Information on the following topics is also requested:
System Development Programme milestones for which AML data
drops are required, including testing and acceptance
Geographical Areas required specified in latitude and longitude
Coverage e.g. to match military training areas or standard navigation
products
Scales (AML is produced in scale bands specified at***) (these can be
expressed as ranges of interest e.g. 12 nautical miles).
Details of any features required that are not defined in current AML
Specifications
Contour intervals for CLB. Refer to Figure 2 below for standard contour
intervals produced in AML.
SCALE
BAND
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
CLB
contour
range
Vertical
Interval 1
CLB
contour
range
Vertical
Interval 2
CLB
contour
range
Vertical
Interval 3
0-500
0-200
0-100
0-10
50m
10m
5m
1m
501-3000
201-400
101-400
11-100
100m
20m
10m
5m
3001 +
401+
401+
101+
500m
50m
20m
10m
Figure 2 Standard Contour Intervals
AML Test Data
9.

Test Data – Standard test data sets are available as follows:
AML Standard Test data -Isle of Wight. This data contains at least one
example of every object class with as least one of each object class
having all its attributes populated. Test data can be downloaded from
the AML website www.ukho.gov.uk/add/servicesAMLsampleData.asp
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
Neptune Warrior Area Data. This is representative real-world data in
North West UK Approaches.
UKHO Support to System Development
10.
From previous experience with IPTs it has been found that early
involvement of UKHO will be beneficial in identifying the complexity of
software functionality required to exploit AML data and potential system
performance issues. UKHO is able to provide support to the planning and
conduct of system testing. Detailed knowledge of the test data structures and
content has proved invaluable in testing activities for a number of systems
including WECDIS, ADAWS, NAUTIS and Type 45 Command Systems. In
addition, UKHO AML staff can support HCI workshops to assist in the
development of software facilities and display of AML data. It is possible to
provide bespoke datasets to meet specific platform role requirements as
already provided to T45 IPT. This entailed the addition of fictitious features to
an existing dataset to produce a more realistic scenario for system
development and testing.
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