C4ISR Architectural Frameworks in Coalition Environments

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Abstract:

Nations in Central and Eastern Europe seek economic stability and security in a dramatically changing global environment. These nations are anxious to display Western leanings and to ensure national security through multinational coalitions. These coalitions, in turn, are being supported by a variety of national, NATO, and U.S. sponsored initiatives with the common goal of regional stability. The common thread through these initiatives is the use of Information Technology to improve Command, Control, and Communications (C3) in a combined military/peace support domain. This paper proposes an IT-driven Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Architectural Framework approach to the integration of combat and peace support forces in regional coalition initiatives. Although the framework is applicable across the total C4ISR domain, only Command, Control, and Communications are relevant to the subject addressed in this paper. This type of architectural approach is applicable to other possible regional coalitions on a global basis.