DCGS-A
The Evolving Environment &
Transition to Open Competition
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Purpose
To provide an update on the DCGS-A program, initial efforts toward the
DCGS-A Increment (Inc) 2 competition, and general observations.
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Overview
Current Environment
Emerging Conditions
Request for Industry
Focus Areas
PM Observations
Conclusion and Path Forward
Context: the Army has explored technical architectures, capabilities, and market
trends of the data integration, visualization, and analytics market.
This review, along with soldier feedback on the current Increment 1 program,
support a shift to focus on Increment 2 and have shaped the path forward
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DCGS-A Overview
 Fielded to INSCOM and every Corps, Division, and Brigade deploying to OEF
and across the globe
 Is a ‘System of Systems’ that includes Fixed Sites, deployable ground stations,
and organic headquarters and unit equipment (servers/laptops)
 Provides ~60 intelligence analysis tools and access to ~700 data sources,
which deliver actionable information to Warfighting Commanders
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Weather, Terrain, Link Analysis, etc.
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Access to Army/Joint ISR and sensor data
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Full Domain support for HUMINT, SIGINT,
GEOINT, COMINT, CYBERINT, ELINT
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Supports Full Spectrum Operations
(Low and High Intensity)
Robust Multi-INT Tools
 Capabilities are commercial products and solutions (hardware and software)
 Builds to open architecture and compliant with Intelligence and Army standards
The Army’s ‘Flagship’ Intelligence System for analysis and fusion
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Program Status Update
 Increment 1, Release 1 is in Post-FDD Fielding
- Intelligence Community Alignment
- Geospatial Intelligence Exploitation and Foundation Capability
- Full Motion Video ingestion, exploitation, and dissemination
- All Source Analysis leveraging over 700 data sources
 Increment 1, Release 2 in preparation for LUT at NIE 15.2
- High Side delivery to support SCI (NSAnet and JWICS) operations
- HUMINT data Interoperability
- Additional ‘ease of use’ enhancements
 Increment 2 is Pre-MS B
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Information System (IS) CDD in JROC Staffing
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Request for Information (RFI) released to Industry on 13 Aug, 2014
Continuing to field DCGS-A capability and equip deployers
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Evolving Environment
 Continuously evolving standards and protocols
− Intelligence Community Information Technology Environment (IC ITE)
− Data Standards, DIB, DI2E, Joint Information Environment (JIE)
 Significant growth of IT related technologies
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− Transition to ‘cloud’ structure for data storage
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− ‘Big Data’ analytics and data mining
− Structured and unstructured databases
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− Customized ‘apps’ w/ analytical algorithms
− Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid human analysis
− Bandwidth compression; Quality of Service
ICT Industry Revolution
4 Cyber-security as an intelligence domain (CYBERINT)
 Growing user familiarity w/ mobile computing across infrastructures
DCGS-A Inc 2 will leverage private sector advancements and must adapt to
the evolving IC/DoD standards, in order to ensure success
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1 - Cloud Computing
Represents significant opportunity for efficiencies/ budget savings
 Transformative Technology (20 years)
- Already dominates 80% of businesses in North America
- Info flow key to benefit
 National Security Implications
- Facilitate information dominance
- Privacy, security and IPR/data
are key
ownership issues
- Security largely ‘after thought’
 Numerous emerging services
− CIA, DIA, DISA
− Updated DoD policy
Cloud services can bring modernization, agility and efficiency to the IT structure
in support of national security
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2 - Big Data & Performance Computing
 Data growth occurring at exponential rate
 Ability to manipulate data sets that exceed
current/traditional data processing
 Principle 4 Vs of Data
− Large volumes of data sets
− Variety of types (video, text, etc) and unstructured
− Speed of Service and Velocity to delivery
− Veracity to eliminates false positives
 High Performance Computers (HPC)
- Models and simulations
- Already used for predictive analysis AI,
Weather, Nuclear testing
- Help w/ Intel trends, forecasting, analysis
Meteorological forecasting
“Just like oil was a natural resource powering the last industrial revolution, data
is going to be the natural resource for this IT revolution.” Industry CEO
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3 - Visualization and Tools
Workspace design
− Graphs, browsers, collaboration
− Map and object explorer applications
− Assistance and help/guide features
Intuitive and Facilitates Cognitive Functions
− Optimize training/NET and FSR reduction
 Extensible and tailorable
− Modular application framework can be utilized to
develop entire new applications.
− 3rd party developers have added/extended
applications
Scalable to enable large data/node depictions
Common Feedback
Visualization tools are the fundamental user interface and must facilitate
“ease of use”, reduce FSR dependencies, and accelerate training times
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4 - Cyber Security
Risks
Crime
Espionage
Attack
Effect
ID Theft and Fraud
IP Theft (1.5% drag on GDP)
Loss of Essential Services
National Security Impact
Consumer Confidence
Economic Growth
Institutional Confidence
Cyber Security Challenges
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Limited consensus on the nature of the threat
Cyber domain is everywhere
Malicious code manifests in many ways
Many sources (State, State Sponsored, Non-State, Individual)
Attribution is difficult
Cyber access incurring “involuntary” participation
Cyber threats are growing, system security must be an inherent part of design
for a balanced ecosystem
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Leverage Existing DCGS-A SoS
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DCGS-A Inc 2 Focus
1 – Integrated data and access layer
2 – Enhance visualization tools/display
3 – Address (Disconnected, Intermittent &
Limited) bandwidth environment
Tactical Environment
DCGS-A is a robust ‘System of Systems’; Inc 2 will focus on data integration and
access, while enhancing Visualization tools and fully leveraging existing investments.
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Industry Input on DCGS-A Inc 2
 Continuous feedback and information on potential strategy
DCGS-A Inc 2 RFI
− Optimal program management structure for systems
integration (Government and Industry integration)
− Ability to leverage fielded DCGS-A Inc 1 capabilities
− Plan for incremental deliveries over time
− Source selection factors and ‘incentives’ structure
(cost, schedule, performance)
− Feedback on requirements
 How to best leverage the ‘IT Box” approach
 Ability to accelerate capability insertion, while remaining aligned w/
interoperability and Cyber requirements
Seeking Industry input on acquisition approach, requirements and technologies
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Ongoing Focus Areas
 An iterative RFI approach to adopt inputs and Industry feedback
FY
 Identification
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of programmatic and technical ‘risks’ for management
Requirements crosswalk and identification of technical risk candidates
 Continual engagements and exchanges (Industry Day on 20 Jan)
 Establishment of the formal PoR management office for DCGS-A Inc 2
Continuous and iterative dialogue with Industry to ensure alignment
05/10/2014
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Technical
General Observations
 Cyber and Information Assurance importance is growing
 Reliability growth equally important for “software intensive programs”
Industrial
 Info System standards and protocols decisions consider transport
 Continue to emphasize “best value”, growing concern on LPTA
 Transparency key among Industry; key to R&D investments (BBP 3.0)
Operational
 Lab environment must be as realistic as possible (latency, IA)
 Army transitioning from SSC – regionally aligned/globally engaged
 Training (beyond “button-ology”) is equally critical to employment
 Convergence, convergence - intelligence must support/enable mission
command and transport systems must align
Lessons learned need to become lessons applied
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Conclusion and Path Forward
 DCGS-A continues to field capability to deployers and operational units
 Current IT capabilities and Intel Community standards are evolving
 Emerging and innovative technologies available
 Responses to RFI #1 complete; RFI #2 pending (Oct/Nov)
 Industry Day on 20 January 2015
Industry feedback and coordination is critical for our future National Security
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