Next Generation SpaceControl Communication: XML

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Next Generation SpaceControl Communication XML

• David Hayes
• US Army Space and Missile Defense Command
• 01 May 2001

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Purpose
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Purpose
Present the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) as
a better way to communicate, store, and process
Battle Management Command, Control,
Communication, Computers, and Intelligence
(BMC4I) information for Space Control.
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The US Defense establishment must be transformed
... to take full advantage of commercially crea
ted information technology.
SecDef Priorities brief presented by Mr. Money at
26 Feb 2001 All Hands Meeting in Pentagon
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Contents

• Background
• XML
• Applications for Space Control BMC4I
• Summary

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Background
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Space Control

• The ability to assure access to and freedom of
  operations in Space
  
• Ability to deny others the use of space, if
  required
  
• Deceive,
• Deny,
• Disrupt,
• Degrade, or
• Destroy space systems and services
• The SC mission requires
• Large-scale Information exchange over a
• Global region with
• Short time lines

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Tactical Languages

• TADIL Family (MIL STD 6016)
• Link 11A B, Link 16 (J)
• Serial J
• Socket J
• S TADIL J
• Variable Message Format
• Designed for the real-time exchange of local area
  LOS Radio Networks
  
• Bit-based
• Communication Efficient
• Message Text Format
• Designed to communicate plans and setup
  information
  
• Readable Text/Character-based messages

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XML
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XML

• XML is
• A method for putting structured data in a text
  file
  
• A standard markup language for describing,
  archiving, and communicating digital information
  in a text file
  
• XML looks like HTML but isn't HTML
• XML and HTML use
• tags (words bracketed by '')
• attributes (of the form name"value")
• HTML has a predefined syntax
• XML is well formed HTML is not
• XML is verbose, but that is not a problem

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JWID Results

• Joint Warfighter Interoperability Demonstration
• XML-based Air Tasking Orders (ATO)
• Compressed XML files were smaller than compressed
  MTF files in 1999.
  
• Compressed XML and MTF files were equivalent in
  size in 2000.

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XML

• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) released its
  proposal for the eXtensible Markup Language (XML)
  in 1996, and approved the standard in 1998.
  
• Based on the best parts of SGML (1986) and
  experience gained from HTML (1990)
  
• XML is a family of technologies
• eXtensible Style Sheets
• Dynamic HyperText Markup Language
• Document Object Model, etc.
• XML is license-free, platform-independent, and
  well-supported

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XML Example

• United States Message Text Format (USMTF)
• RMKS/179 248//
• XML
• 179 268coordinates
  
• The XML line makes it clear to an extraction
  routine or human reader what the data between the
  tags means.

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XML Namespace Registry

• XML does not ensure data compatibility with a
  given application.
  
• Interoperability standards are required just like
  previous data exchange methods.
  
• Namespace registry can provide the necessary
  standardization of XML tag elements and
  attributes.
  
• XML qualifies element and attributes names by
  associating them with namespaces identified by a
  Universal Resource Identifier
  
• Namespaces prevent identical custom-named tags in
  XML documents from being interpreted the same way
  and confused.
  

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XML

• XML is much more than a markup language its a
  fundamental enabler for the automated exchange of
  data and the processes that act on that data.

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XML Applicationsfor Space Control BMC4I
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Aggregation

• Acquiring information from disparate (often
  legacy) sources
  
• Collect
• Organize
• Integrate
• Organize references to metadatarather than the
  actual data
  
• A repository of metadata links in XML format
• Intelligent agents could browse the links

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Syndication

• Distributing dynamic content to users
• Collect
• Organize
• Integrate
• Two complementary functions
• Define the information that a subscriber wishes
  or needs to receive
  
• Extract the information in accordance to the
  definition and distribute to the subscriber

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Other XML Applications

• System testing Distributed HWIL and SWIL
• Data Link HLA simulation of radio networks
• Data Archives Event Logs, etc.
• Incidental distribution
• Reach Back
• Cross Area Alerts
• Collaboration Integrate FIOP

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The Benefits of XML

• XML leverages modern commercial best practices
• Robust tool sets
• Large labor pool
• Platform independence
• Text based protocol
• Problems can be fixed by a simple text editor
• Man and machine readable/processable
• No proprietary DoD message formats
• XML is designed for large-scale information
  storage, processing, and exchange in support of
  system interoperability

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XML complements TADIL

• XML does not replace TADIL
• TADILs are designed for bit-efficient radio nets
• XML is designed for long-haul global BMC4I
  interoperability
  
• XML can connect disparate BMC4I systems by
  integrating and translating communication
  
• A Rosetta Stone for aggregation and syndication
• Inter-service and International interoperability

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Summary
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Summary

• The US Defense establishment must take full
  advantage of commercial information technology
  such as XML
  
• Legacy TADIL languages are ill suited for
  large-scale networks that emphasize system
  interoperability among services and nations
  
• XML is license-free, platform-independent, and
  well-supported
  
• XML is designed for large-scale information
  storage, processing, and exchange in support of
  system interoperability

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XML is a better way tocommunicate, store, and
process
BMC4I information for Space Control.
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BACKUP
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we'll connect information and weapons in new wa
ys
Military personnel listen as U.S. President
George W. Bush speaks after his visit to NATO
ACLANT (Allied Command Atlantic) headquarters at
Norfolk Naval Air Station, February 13, 2001.
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Space Control

• Information of all major military powers either
  passes through or originates from space assets.
  
• Relevant to the highest levels of command as well
  as the soldier in the foxhole.
  
• Army must control space to perfect the execution
  of its global mission.
  
• Space control is technically and politically
  difficult.
  
• Short timelines and long distances
• Concerns about the projection of military power
  into space

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Commercial vs. Military BMC4I Technology

• The following are selected quotes from
  Realizing the Potential of C4I. Fundamental
  Challenges National Academy Press Washington,
  D. C. 1999. http//bob.nap.edu/readingroom/books/
  C4I/
• Academic research and the commercial sector are,
  and will continue to be, the primary sources of
  fundamental advances in information technologies
  for C4I Chap 1, p. 12
• A key challenge to DOD and the services will
  continue to be to develop and appropriately
  responsive acquisition system that can procure,
  deploy, and exploit these commercial hardware and
  software capabilities for the military in a
  timely and cost-effective way. Chap 1, p. 12
• Designing, acquiring, fielding, and upgrading
  complex C4I systems in a fashion that fully
  exploits the rapid progress of commercial
  technology is a significant challenge. Chap 4,
  p. 13
• Riding the wave of commercial technology will be
  difficult for the military, and it requires a
  high degree of technical and system competence,
  diligence in anticipating and tracking market
  advances, and ability to envision applications
  for those advances faster than adversaries can.
  Chap 4, p. 14

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Military vs. Commercial BMC4I Technology

• Bin Laden's technology said better
• WASHINGTON (AP) - Osama bin Laden, the Saudi
  exile wanted for allegedly masterminding the
  bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa, has
  better communications technology than the United
  States, according to the director of the National
  Security Agency. Gen. Mike Hayden, who heads the
  U.S. supersecret intelligence agency, said in a
  rare interview that bin Laden was able to
  orchestrate almost simultaneous bombings without
  NSA detection because he has more resources.
  "Osama bin Laden has at his disposal the wealth
  of a 3 trillion a year telecommunications
  industry that he can rely on," Hayden told CBS'
  "60 Minutes II" in an interview that will be
  broadcast Tuesday night. Hayden said his agency
  is "behind the curve in keeping up with the
  global telecommunications revolution."
  Prosecutors have portrayed the 1998 blasts at
  U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es
  Salaam, Tanzania, as part of a worldwide plot by
  bin Laden. Twelve Americans were among the 224
  people killed.

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The way it is

• We are going to connect information in new ways.
• We must take advantage of commercial IT.
• Adopting commercial IT will require
• A high degree of technical and system
  competence,
  
• Diligence in anticipating and tracking commercial
  advances, and
  
• Ability to envision applications for those
  advances faster than our adversaries.
  
• The DoD is behind our enemies who use commercial
  IT.

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Why Use XML ?

• Broadens enterprise search capabilities
• Can perform new operations on the data once its
  in XML form
  
• Will shorten application development time
• XML-enabled business processes will shorten
  business cycles
  
• Allows conversion of EDI data to more manageable
  form
  
• Ties together multiple internal applications
  across the company
  
• Ties applications to those of customers
• Ties applications to those of suppliers and
  trading partners
  
• Joining an E-commerce trading hub or B-to-B
  exchange that uses XML

Re s p o n d e n t s
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Data Zona Research 3Q 2000 XML Study of 200
Businesses
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Tower of Babel

• speaking the same language nothing will later
  stop them from doing whatever they presume to
  do.
  
• Genesis 116 New American Bible