Distributed data fusion for network centric operations Foreword. I am very pleased to provide a foreword for this timely work on distributed fusion. I have been involved in fusion research for the last 15 years focused on transforming data to support more effective decision making. During that time I have relied heavily on the advice of the editors of this book and many of the chapter authors to help set the directions for Army focused basic and applied information fusion initiatives. I first met the editors about 12 years ago at an Army sponsored fusion workshop where it was clear that the issues of increased sensors and data sources along with the introduction of web based information architectures had finally overwhelmed the analysis community. Most of the discussions were focused on the problems. But Dave Hall and Jim Llinas began addressing the solutions. They identified relevant terms and definitions outlined algorithms for specific fusion tasks addressed many of the evolving architectural issues pinpointed key technical barriers and proposed directions for future research. They clearly were long time experts in the field; but more importantly they were visionary in their recognition of rapidly evolving trends in information management and the impact those trends would have on the field of data fusion. It is therefore not at all surprising that this their latest book (along with colleagues) would be focused on distributed fusion. While there are numerous texts and handbooks on data fusion in general (many written or edited by the editors and authors of this book) there are two major trends that motivate the need for this work. First the very concept of defense operations has dramatically changed. Modern military missions include for example coalitionbased counterinsurgency counternarcotics ... Foreword I am very pleased to provide a foreword for this timely work on distributed fusion. I have been involved in fusion research for the last 15 years focused on transforming data to support more effective decision making. During that time I have relied heavily on the advice of the editors of this book and many of the chapter authors to help set the directions for Army focused basic and applied information fusion initiatives. I first met the editors about 12 years ago at an Army sponsored fusion workshop where it was clear that the issues of increased sensors and data sources along with the introduction of web based information architectures had finally overwhelmed the analysis community. Most of the discussions were focused on the problems. But Dave Hall and Jim Llinas began addressing the solutions. They identified relevant terms and definitions outlined algorithms for specific fusion tasks addressed many of the evolving architectural issues pinpointed key technical barriers and proposed directions for future research. They clearly were long time experts in the field; but more importantly they were visionary in their recognition of rapidly evolving trends in information management and the impact those trends would have on the field of data fusion. It is therefore not at all surprising that this their latest book (along with colleagues) would be focused on distributed fusion. While there are numerous texts and handbooks on data fusion in general (many written or edited by the editors and authors of this book) there are two major trends that motivate the need for this work. First the very concept of defense operations has dramatically changed. Modern military missions include for example coalitionbased counterinsurgency counternarcotics ...