NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre
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Delivering shared situational understanding
NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre
Challenge
t Deliver new levels of capability to meet the increasing
demands of IFC’s users
Outcome
t Faster intelligence product delivery
t New levels of clarity and consistency
t Enhanced intelligence sharing capability
Case study
Delivering shared situational understanding
Whether NATO is conducting air It develops sophisticated, up-to-the-minute reports weren’t always consistent in their
strikes on enemy targets or organising intelligence products, which are used appearance and could be inappropriately
sea patrols to prevent maritime piracy, exclusively by NATO to support strategic interpreted.
it has to have rapid access to accurate and tactical decision making on a daily basis.
and timely information that is easy Over the years since its foundation, the
to interpret. The Intelligence Fusion Challenge IFC had also built up a very large library of
Centre’s use of Geospatial Information The IFC produces a large number of imagery and mapping data. However, many
Systems (GIS) helps to provide NATO intelligence products that range from of these important resources resided on
commanders from twenty eight fairly straight-forward large-scale maps CDs, in multiple versions, in different desks
countries with the insight they need, of a region, to highly focused intelligence and cabinets around the offices. What is
when they need it. products, combining a wide range of data more, the IFC’s processes for managing its
and high-resolution satellite imagery. data relied on file-based storage and were
Client Some of the larger intelligence reports failing to keep up with the rapidly expanding
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation produced by the IFC may contain many data store. “The time had come for a new
(NATO) is a political and military alliance hundreds of component images and approach to data management,” explains
of twenty eight countries that promotes maps that come together to make up the Ric Diaz, chief of geospatial intelligence at
peace, helps to manage the resolution final delivered product. Large and small, the IFC. “We needed to create a centralised
of international crises and encourages all of the products produced by the data store and adopt new standard ways of
cooperation on issues of defence and centre play a vital role in supporting working across our business.”
security. In recent years, it has supported NATO’s peace-keeping, military and
national governments in Iraq and humanitarian operations. At the same time, the IFC wanted to make
Afghanistan, undertaken peace-keeping its intelligence products more accessible
activities in Africa and Kosovo, responded To produce its intelligence products, to NATO commanders. It often received
to threats of piracy and terrorism, and taken the IFC makes extensive use of Geospatial requests for the same information, again
action to protect the people of Libya. Information System (GIS) technology. and again. This was particularly the case
Indeed, as much as 80% of the output in regions like Afghanistan, where NATO
For all of its missions, the organisation has of the organisation has an integral GIS commanding officers changed every few
to have access to accurate, up-to-date and element. Although the IFC’s image and months. Once products had been delivered
easy to assimilate information about the geospatial analysts were highly skilled, to the original requestor, it was difficult for
environments in which it is operating. the organisation realised that not everyone other people to find them, because there
The Intelligence Fusion Centre (IFC) was used the same processes, symbols or was no way of searching the product
formed in 2005, to meet precisely this need. formats in their work. This meant that database spatially. Instead, users had to
2
“ The Esri consultants sat side by side with us,
asked a lot of questions and offered a lot of advice.
It was a great partnership.
Ric Diaz, chief of geospatial intelligence at the IFC ”
rely on searching long lists of product names, questions and offered a lot of advice,” The deployment of the new GIS
which frequently failed to identify relevant says Diaz. “It was a great partnership.” environment had to be carefully planned
products and was not very user friendly. to ensure that it did not disrupt day-to-day
As a result of the business process operational work. For example,when
Solution and capability delivered analysis, the IFC realised that it needed military action was launched in Libya,
The IFC had been using Esri GIS software to establish the new role of data manager. the needs of the project had to be
since its foundation in 2005, and it relied “It quickly became apparent to us that balanced against a sudden increase
heavily on Esri desktop tools for geo- the role of the data manager was actually in demand for new intelligence products.
analysis, in particular. The organisation one of the most important roles in the “Esri understood the complexities of our
recognised that it could address its data geospatial team,” Diaz remarks. “It would working environment,” observes Diaz.
management and workflow challenges be the job of the data manager to ensure “Its consultants worked with us every
through Esri’s latest GIS technology that the whole team always had the most step ofthe way, to help us meet our
(ArcGIS Server) and support services up-to-date data to work from – in the very own requirements.”
(software implementation, development demanding timelines that we have to work
of standard operating procedures and with.” With no-one immediately available Using ArcGIS Server, Esri UK created
support in data management). “We did with the right skill sets within the IFC, a single central data repository for the
consider alternative GIS vendors at the Esri UK provided one of its own team to IFC’s geospatial data and imagery. Esri
time, but other products didn’t appear fill the critical role of data manager. UK’s technical services team then built
to meet our needs as well as the Esri This gave the IFC the time it needed to an internal web service, through which
software,” says Diaz. “NATO has also secure a permanent appointment. all of the organisation’s analysts are able
standardised on Esri solutions for its core to search for, retrieve, view, analyse and
GIS platform, so it didn’t make sense for Alongside the deployment of ArcGIS Server, use that data as a part of their day-to-day
the IFC to change to a different supplier.” Esri UK worked with the IFC to establish work. In addition, Esri UK developed a
new Standard Operating Procedures new external web service, to give NATO
Prior to deploying the new solution, Esri UK (SOPs) and to define common symbols and personnel the ability to easily discover,
analysed the IFC’s processes to establish formats for use across all of its intelligence view and download recent and historical
how the team worked with the existing GIS products. “We were trying to identify intelligence reports. Deployed on a
and verify the requirements of the business. and implement best business practices,” Microsoft SharePoint platform, the external
Esri UK then specified and proposed the explains Diaz. “With their experience, the web portal was initially developed as a
new technical architecture to meet specific consultants quickly understood what we stand-alone prototype, which reduced
business needs. “The Esri consultants were doing, so they could show us the project risk for the IFC and allowed it to
sat side by side with us, asked a lot of easiest and best ways to work.” carry out a phased roll out.
3
“ Esri understood the complexities of our
working environment. Its consultants worked
with us every step of the way, to help us meet
our own requirements.
”
Ric Diaz, chief of geospatial intelligence at the IFC
Benefits practices and established common almost instant access to useful situational
Faster intelligence product delivery standards for symbols and document intelligence. Because they won’t have to
All of the IFC’s geospatial data and imagery formats, that are supported within ArcGIS. put in specific requests for information –
is now stored centrally and maintained by Consequently, all of the IFC’s products and wait for the resulting reports – they will
a dedicated data manager. As a result, the now have a consistent look and feel. “This be able to make appropriate tactical and
organisation no longer maintains several gives us more credibility in the eyes of our strategic decisions much more quickly.
versions of the same data, which was customers,” Diaz believes.
not only inefficient but could also result Future
in inaccurate or inappropriate information An added, unexpected benefit of this The software and services provided by Esri
being generated. approach has been that other defence UK have delivered real benefits to the IFC,
agencies, in other countries, have started and the two organisations have developed
As well as being able to manage and work to copy the templates and standard a strong collaborative relationship. Building
from a single, up-to-date source, analysts methods articulated by the IFC. As a result, on this, the IFC and Esri UK meet every
can be more time-efficient, because they NATO commanders are receiving reports four to six weeks to discuss emergent new
don’t waste time looking for the latest CDs that are generally more consistent and, requirements and make sure that the IFC’s
and images. When urgent requests come therefore, clearer and easier to interpret. investment in GIS capability continues
in, analysts can start work on intelligence Diaz says: “Hopefully, the improved quality to be exploited to deliver real benefits.
products straight away, without having of intelligence products means that NATO “Our migration to ArcGIS Server has far
to wait for relevant data to be found and can be more effective in its operations.” exceeded any expectations that we had
assembled. “Whereas it used to take 24- before the project commenced,” declares
48 hours to bring in imagery, that data is Improved intelligence sharing Diaz. “As a result, we are looking to further
now right there, at our fingertips, already,” The IFC is currently in the process of our relationship with Esri UK over the next
says Diaz. “It’s a cleaner and quicker introducing its external web portal, three years.”
process overall.” This faster turnaround alongside the roll out of Microsoft
time enables NATO commanders to react SharePoint within NATO. Once SharePoint
more quickly to emergent new situations is fully deployed, all authorised personnel
in theatre. from NATO will be able to use the web
portal to search spatially for any recent
Improved intelligence product quality intelligence products relating to the area
and consistency where they are working. Recent and
With Esri UK’s support, the IFC has historical reports will be much easier to
introduced new, documented working find and should provide commanders with
4
“ The time had come for a new approach
to data management
”
Ric Diaz, chief of geospatial intelligence at the IFC
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Esri UK is part of the global Esri network, world leader in geographic information system (GIS) software. We mobilise the UK’s largest pool of GIS expertise, with the worlds most proven geospatial capability, to provide solutions, consulting and training services to defence and intelligence organisations and system integrators. Its solutions are successfully deployed with wide application from Expeditionary Warfare and National Security to management of the Defence Estate. Esri UK is helping these organisations make faster and more informed decisions by delivering the capability to extract the greatest value from their information and enabling this intelligence to be more easily shared. For more information please visit our website at www.esriuk.com/defence Esri UK Millennium House 65 Walton Street Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP21 7QG T 01296 745500 F 01296 745544 E info@esriuk.com www.esriuk.com © ESRI (UK) Limited 2011. Registered in England and Wales No.1288342. VAT No.787 4307 91. Registered Address: Millennium House, 65 Walton Street, Aylesbury, Bucks HP21 7QG. All rights reserved. The Esri globe and Esri products, services and trademarks mentioned are trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. Other companies and products mentioned herein are the property of their respective trademark owners.
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