Tactical Sensor Data Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination

Special Operations Forces needs a repository containing three dimensional (3D) geospatial and structural information that can be visualized when developing plans and executing operations. Limited success integrating CAD and GIS information over the last 20 years illustrates the difficulty of this task. The proposed study determines feasibility of a 3D BIM, CAD, and GIS repository by personnel with expertise and experience in BIM, CAD, and GIS data modeling and data management, including prior work to integrate CAD and GIS data. The proposal identifies major research questions and objectives that guide the study and describes an initial architectural concept. The proposed approach creates a data model that incorporates 3D BIM, CAD, and GIS objects with metadata, creates alternative architectures that use open systems software components, conducts an analysis of the alternative architectures, conducts experiments of effectiveness and performance on technologies that could operate in the architectures, and specifies a feasible modular open systems architecture that uses best-of-breed technology. The experimental research approach quantifies the feasibility of the recommended architecture based on the experiments and risk analysis. Internal reviews will indicate project progress and the final report provides a roadmap toward deployment of the repository using an approach that minimizes operation disruptions.