Information Management to Support the Warrior

Abstract : This report summarizes the deliberations and conclusions of the 1998 Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) study on Information Management to Support the Warrior. In the study, the panel develops an enhanced concept for managing information for all echelons of command. A combination of continuing and leveraging the current information management programs/investment and overlaying the concept of Battlespace InfoSphere (BI) are identified in the report. The Air Force needs to get the right information at the right time disseminated and displayed in the right way so commanders and ("crew chiefs") can do the right thing at the right time the right way. The information must be provided without creating an information blizzard. When the Air Force does this faster than the adversary, the Air Force has information superiority. The emphasis of this panel was developing a BI concept for managing the information. The BI is the next step in the evolution from system-centric to network-centric through information-centric. The BI must support all levels of military operations, anywhere, anytime from a distributed base of operations such as command, planning, execution, information support, combat support. Information management processes enable the input, manipulation, and access of information. The major technologies and associated research/development projects at agencies throughout the government are sorted according to a variety of prioritization schemes. The panel sorted according to the following schemes, Air force priority, maturity, evolution, and capability of the technologies. Finally, the panel recommends the Air Force implement the Battlespace InfoSphere concept.