Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The Distributed Common Ground System, or DCGS, weapon system is the Air Force's premier globally networked intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance weapon system. The DCGS uses 20 geographically separated, networked sites to produces intelligence information collected by the U-2, RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator.DCGS
                        
                        
                        The Distributed Common Ground System is the Air Force's primary globally networked intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance planning and direction, collection, processing and exploitation, analysis and dissemination weapon system. A team from battle management is developing an open architecture for Air Force DCGS, enabling a plug-and-play-type environment. (U.S. Air Force photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Open architecture bringing benefits to Air Force DCGSPublished Aug. 25, 2016
                    
                    By Patty Welsh
                    
                    
                    66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
            **ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) --**A battle management team is working to improve capabilities for warfighters who process and disseminate intelligence information.The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System is the Air Force’s key system for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information. There are dozens of DCGS sites around the world with thousands of Airmen working in them 24/7.According to program officials, the current system’s closed architecture causes Airmen to spend time performing tasks not related to their primary analytical duties.“In order to support CFACC (Combined Forces Air Component commander) intelligence needs, (Air Force) DCGS must be able to conduct time-dominant and decision-quality analysis to optimize ISR operations, produce timely assessments and enhance battlespace awareness and threat warnings,” said Lt. Col. Joshua P. Williams, Air Force DCGS Branch materiel leader. “To ensure rapid response to changing threats and intelligence, our team worked to develop an open and agile architecture, enabling a plug-and-play-type environment.”The battle management team partnered with Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory to make the transition, which is partially in place.According to Williams, the previously closed system resulted in isolated designs, non-agile processes, lengthy deployment cycles, and sometimes unsupported and end-of-life hardware and software solutions by the time a system was operational. He explained that, with the new architecture, the Air Force does not have to engineer the entire system to include hardware and software for each operational capability since it is standardized to support quick capability integration.“We simply integrate, test, operationally verify and field,” he said.In 42 weeks, the team created, implemented and institutionalized open hardware and software processes and specifications and migrated an operational capability to the new architecture, reducing analyst evaluation and decision time by more than 60 percent.“Using live data with certified operators in two geographically separated locations, we were able to demonstrate the improved abilities of the open architecture by reducing analyst processing, evaluation and decision time,” Williams said. “And the operator feedback was positive across the board.”Some of the improvements include single consolidation of disparate operator workflow, allowing the gathering and storing of intelligence in one location where it can later be quickly queried, and drastically increasing target identification time and execution.This specific work of open architecture risk reduction is the initial phase of a three-phase plan. The risk reduction piece concluded last December. Currently, the program is deploying pilots which incorporate the new structure in three locations with three varying mission threads.“The pilots enable a smaller-scale deployment in parallel to the current operational system and allow the program to mature the capability and processes without impacting everyday operations,” Williams said.The piloting phase will conclude in early summer 2017 with a development and operational test. And while the deployment and mission thread work is specific to Air Force DCGS, the new architecture is being developed on open standards. This will allow other systems within the DCGS family of systems to take advantage of the improved capabilities as well.Williams said the effort is about more than just having a government-controlled technical baseline. Because the program office now owns the design and is not contracting for the management, design, engineering, deployment or sustainment of the system, it is the integrator and must understand the interfaces, program and project dependencies.“This effort changes every aspect of the (Air Force) DCGS program,” he said. “We have streamlined processes to support agile development and capability development, allowing for incorporation of new applications in weeks, instead of months or even years. The open architecture is truly a force multiplier for (Air Force) DCGS.”intelligence 



piloting phase 



innovation 



Process Improvement 



ISR 



Air Force Distributed Common Ground System Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil