ATCCIS and OMG C4I SIG

1
Army Tactical Command Control Information
System (ATCCIS) and OMG C4I SIG
Major Robert Weisman Directorate Information
Management Strategic Direction (C2I) [phone]
- robert.weisman_at_sympatico.ca Canadian National
Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada Given to the Object Management Group C4I
Special Interest Group Montreal, Canada 24 June
1997
2
Introduction

• ATCCIS Background and products?
• ATCCIS Data Model
• ATCCIS Replication Mechanism
• OMG C4I SIG/ATCCIS Relationship
• Suggestions for the Way Ahead

3
ATCCIS Background

• Army Tactical Command and Control Information
  System
• Minimum requirements to achieve level V
  inter-connection
• 1978, Recommended to start Analysis (NATO)
• 1980, Phase I, Feasibility Study (3 nations)
• 1984, Phase II, Requirements Study (4 nations)

4
ATCCIS Phase III

• 1991, Phase III, Demonstration Phase (8 nations)
• June 1997 - End of Phase III - Demo in Ede
  Holland
• US, German, French , British, Dutch , Spanish
  Systems
• 1997 - 1999 Phase IV,
• Operational Fielding
• Transition to Joint /// Allied
• Study of Object Technology

5
ATCCIS Phase III Products

• 1. A Data Model vs. Communication Language

2. ATCCIS Replication Mechanism (ARM )
6
ATCCISData Model
A Data Model for Information Exchange Here we
see an overview of the high-level entities in the
model
7
ATCCISData Model
All objects on the battlefield can be represented
as OBJECT-ITEMs and -TYPEs.
On a high level five different types of objects
are distinguished
8
ATCCISData Model
2. FACILITY is used for hospitals, airports, etc.
CAPAB.
3. MATERIEL is used for APCs, etc.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
1. ORGANISATION is used, for example, for units.
FEA
FAC
9
ATCCISData Model
5. PERSON is used for personnel.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
4. FEATURE is used for control- and geo-features.
Hill 251
10
ATCCISData Model
ACTION
STATUS
E.g., to represent the status of the first Dutch
division, Maj. Greg. Sidwell and a specific APC
(active) and the status of a specific tank (not
active).
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
Information about (past/current/future) status of
individual object-items is stored in the STATUS
entity.
11
ATCCISData Model
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
The (past/current/future) location as well as the
geometry of individual object-items is stored in
the LOCATION entity.
E.g., to store the location of the first Dutch
division in Ede...
12
ATCCISData Model
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
To link the different object-items, the entity
ASSOCIATION is used.
This way, e.g., a battalion can be
linked with the division in line, with its
commander and materiel.
13
ATCCISData Model
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
ESTABlishment is used to represent authorised
relationships between different object-types on
the battlefield.
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ATCCISData Model
unit OTYPE estab
1 DIV TANKS 200 1 DIV TRUCKS
400 1 DIV TROOPS 7000
ACTION
STATUS
E.g., a unit is authorised to have 200 tanks but
actually holds 180 tanks.
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
ESTABlishment is used to represent authorised
relationships between different object-types on
the battlefield.
HOLDING is used for the registration of actual
strength.
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ATCCISData Model
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
E.g., to record the plan take Hill 251 (with
sub-actions).
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
ACTION is used for registration and planning of
own and enemy activities.
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ATCCISData Model
Capabilities owned by object-items, object-types
and capabilities required for specific actions
can be stored in the CAPABILITY entity.
CAPAB.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
Examples are fire-capability, land-manoeuvre- and
storage capability.
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
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ATCCISData Model
A PERCEPTION is linked to dynamic entities in
order to be able to log information.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
FEA
FAC
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ATCCISData Model
This PERCEPTION tells you, for example, what the
reporting organisation is.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
PERCEPTION
FEA
FAC
19
ATCCISData Model
And it also tells you the reporting time and the
reliability of the information.
ACTION
STATUS
HOLDING
LOCATION
TYPE
ITEM
ASSOCIATION
ESTAB
ORG
MAT
PER
PERCEPTION
FEA
FAC
reports/is reported by
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ATCCIS Replication Mechanism
The second product is the ARM The ATCCIS
Replication Mechanism
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The ATCCIS Replication Mechanism (ARM)
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The ATCCIS Replication Mechanism (ARM)
ATCCIS DATA MODEL
ATCCIS REPLICATION
user application
replication server
replication server
user application
data base
data base
ATCCIS COMM. PROTOCOLS

• Use ATCCIS Data Model and ARM

23
The ATCCIS Replication Mechanism (ARM)
Properties of the ARM

• Replication (copying) of information on the basis
  of a sender/subscriber mechanism
• Not all data will be replicated to subscribers
  depending on
• Classification of data
• Classification of subscriber

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ATCCIS and OMG C4I SIG

• ATCCIS not OO but sensitive to Object Types
• ATCCIS Data Element and domains defined
• ATCCIS/GCCS C2 Core and NATO C3 Model linkage
• ATCCIS elements are Statement of C4I Client Info
  Needs
• ATCCIS data elements are internationally agreed
  upon

25
ATCCIS and OMG C4I SIG (Contd)

• ATCCIS Replication Mechanism is really a data
  wrapper vs an Object Wrapper
• Permits complex exchange of information between
  disparate systems (Foreign as well as COTS)
• ATCCIS Phase IV looking at OO
• OMG C4I SIG want to advance quickly
• User Community depending heavily on COTS
• Many Users member of OMG, NATO and ATCCIS - do
  not want multiple standards !!!

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Suggestions for a Way Ahead

• C4I SIG use ATCCIS Data Model as springboard for
  C4I Business Objects
• C4I SIG cooperate with ATCCIS WG and
  promote/recommend an OO Model for C4I
• Canada Dept of National Defence could facilitate
  this dialogue