Hoover dam courtesy Intergraph
Geospatially Enabling the Collaborative Enterprise
Recent global events have heightened the demand for collaboration among military, intelligence, civil agencies, and private security enterprises. Intergraph's Brigadier General Jack Pellicci says this demand is even more pronounced with the availability of sophisticated technologies that add location awareness to intelligence data
In an environment traditionally dominated by a need-to-know mentality, we must leverage expanding geospatial technologies through the widespread use of open industry standards, coupled with a willingness to share information for optimal enterprise and cross-enterprise collaboration.
As an early participant in the formation of the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) and a 13-year Board member of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC®), I often hear the frustrations faced by decision makers who cannot access, or are denied access to, critical geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) that would allow them to respond swiftly and appropriately to security threats. It is my goal to help overcome two major challenges to implementing the most effective multi-discipline solutions: the lack of a standardized information architecture used by government agencies and security firms worldwide, and reluctance on the part of government agencies to share sensitive information with other agencies, local authorities, and private industry.
Developing Standards for Information Architecture
First, I'll address the technical challenges facing GEOINT users, or potential users. The OGC, a voluntary, nonprofit consortium, is leading the charge to develop information architecture standards for Web, wireless and location-based services, as well as traditional information technology. As these standards are adopted, broad interoperability becomes possible between agencies and firms who need actionable intelligence to secure citizens and critical infrastructure.
A primary goal of such interoperability is the ability for agencies to integrate information from a wide variety of disparate sources. For instance, a command-and-control center can incorporate real-time data from geographic information systems, sensors, surveillance cameras, and even military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), into a common operating picture that puts actionable intelligence into the appropriate context for authorized users.
Balancing "Need to Know" with "Need to Share"
The second challenge I want to address stems from the practice of not sharing classified or sensitive information. Protecting classified and sensitive information is important, and in many situations, it is essential for effective public safety and counter-terrorist operations. Therefore, it is imperative that we develop a balance between the need to know and the need to share – one that avoids over-classifying information and focuses on securely disseminating accurate GEOINT to the people who really need it – police chiefs, local anti-terrorism authorities, and other professionals who rely on it to protect critical assets, lives, and liberty.
Good examples of the need to share involve the terrorist attacks that have targeted populations through transportation infrastructure in recent years: the attacks on the U.S. World Trade Center in 2001 using air travel infrastructure, the bombings of the London public transport system in 2005, and the Madrid train bombings in 2004, to name a few. In all these cases, first responders to these incidents were not the military, but local police, fire, and ambulance services. When events such as these occur, a post-incident analysis reveals where intelligence-sharing either prevented or mitigated harm, and where its lack was an obstacle to the quickest or most appropriate response. In most cases, opportunities exist to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of the overall response through improved multi-agency communications.
Keeping in mind the global economy in which we operate, and the shared interests among allies in the Global War on Terrorism, we must work toward seamless interoperability for optimal results. This means professionals from all areas of government – from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police in the U.S., to national defense organizations and civil defense groups in the UK and other nations – must share intelligence and coordinate their operations to keep citizens secure and commerce flowing freely.
Emerging Trends in Collaboration
Fortunately, trends in the security and emergency response sectors indicate a shift toward the need-to-share mindset that is critical for quick and effective threat and incident management. For example, we see the proliferation of multi-agency efforts such as the one demonstrated at the XV Pan American Games 2007, the largest sporting event ever held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To secure the 16-day event, Intergraph Corporation worked with the National Public Security Secretariat (SENASP), who enlisted nine public safety agencies – police (military, non-military, and highway), municipality guard, federal police, national security, fire brigade, traffic engineering, and transportation – to cooperate to secure the venues and surrounding areas.
Using open industry standards, Intergraph developed a security and incident management solution that integrated all data into a real-time, common operating picture available at 15 command-and-control points. Sisgraph, a representative of Intergraph in Latin America and the Caribbean, delivered the software system and provided training and support, and Intergraph video analysis software was used to analyze and enhance video images. The security effort was successful and earned praised in the news media. Cooperation such as this is key to securing large areas and international events such as the summer Olympics in London planned for 2012.
Other industry trends include the application of public safety technology to transportation and border security – two areas in which Intergraph has focused its security efforts. Using commercial off-the-shelf technology based on industry standards, Intergraph is evolving the common operating picture into a user-defined operating picture that provides precisely the information and level of detail needed by each agency and operator. In other words, GEOINT is tailored according to the application, with multi-directional information sharing between military, intelligence, and civil agencies. This unprecedented level of usability offers the most comprehensive security solution by enhancing situational awareness to prevent catastrophic events, and enhancing coordinated response capabilities when incidents do occur. In addition, the pooling of multi-agency resources leverages technology dollars spent, increasing return on investment.
Sharing Responsibility for Security
In this evolution from isolated intelligence data to shared geospatial awareness, it is important that everyone involved – from defense and intelligence agencies to local law enforcers – take responsibility for security. No longer a separate discipline that operates standalone, security must be incorporated into the daily operations of defense, intelligence, and civil organizations. By taking responsibility – adhering to industry standards, sharing intelligence, and sharing resources – we can enhance prevention; protect citizens; and secure facilities, infrastructure, and borders worldwide.
Jack Pellicci, Brigadier General US Army (Ret.), SVP Intergraph Corporation
