got geoint?

While technological advances in the areas of geospatial imagery, full-motion video, and other raw data have increased the volume of information available to decision makers and warfighters, the intelligence community (IC) still struggles to ensure that data is timely and truly actionable.

In many ways, this is the Achilles’ heel for our nation’s overall intelligence capabilities. With the help of industry, the IC has built out the most innovative and forward-thinking intelligence-gathering solutions through imagery and mapping, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data collection, and video, but none of this innovation is of use if it does not help advance our missions abroad.

According to Defense Industry Daily, in 2009, UAVs alone generated 24 years worth of video if watched continuously. In 2010, UAVs are expected to generate 30 times that amount of data—and military commanders are acknowledging the issue. According to Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, U.S. Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, “We are going to find ourselves in the not-too-distant future swimming in sensors and drowning in data.”

So what is the solution? The IC often relies on industry to develop tools and innovations aimed at providing actionable data to the warfighter in real time. Some of these innovations include logic algorithms that overcome the human challenge of situational understanding by using dynamic planner tools to expedite combat and interagency decisions. Other solutions include enterprise Web-based portals for collecting, analyzing, and ultimately converting vast amounts of raw intelligence and open source data into actionable intelligence.

In addition, the U.S. Army has moved toward expanding its intelligence databases by adding regional analysis capabilities. Data will essentially be stored in distributed data warehouses that allow analysts to access and share actionable intelligence to support forces in theater. According to Signal Magazine, the Army intelligence brigades will use these tools to store and study data before providing it to deployed forces.

These are all steps in the right direction, though we are still drowning in a sea of data—and those who pay the price are the warfighters who rely on this intelligence. Although the Department of Defense recently announced plans for significant budget cuts, this is one area that requires a boost in investment. Otherwise, we are doing a disservice to our troops and our nation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marv Gordner, Program Manager, Intelligence Solutions Division, MorganFranklin. Mr. Gordner has twenty-one years of extensive leadership and management experience in the Department of Defense and intelligence collection field. He is a retired Military Intelligence Officer (Retired Lieutenant Colonel) with service including the 101st Airborne Division and Special Operations Forces including, 5th Special Forces, 3d Special Forces, and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).

Tags: Actionable data for the the warfighter, Actionable intelligence, GEOINT, GEOINT 2010, geospatial intelligence, got geoint?, Marv Gordner, Marve Gordner and MorganFranklin, MorganFrankin and Intelligence Services, MorganFranklin, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, USGIF