Sensing capabilities are taking top priority for United States military branches as the Department of Defense looks to improve its intelligence strategy.
The department’s recently published Joint All-Domain Command and Control strategy lists the ability to “sense” as a critical function in command and control capabilities for the Joint Forces.
A steadily increasing amount of data and information across all domains calls for “advanced sensing methods” in tandem with information management technologies in order to improve information collection in operational environments and create a common data fabric for mission partners, the strategy states.
“This data and information sensor ecosystem exploits remote sensors, intelligence assets, and open sources to sense and simultaneously integrate information from and within all domains to enable the Joint Force Commander to achieve information and decision advantage,” the document explains.
U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger highlighted the importance of sensors in military capabilities, noting that five out of the six steps in the kill chain are centered around sensing.
“Sensing is perhaps even more important than lethality,” he said at the 2022 McAleese Defense Programs Conference.
However, sensors are not the end state; instead, they should be viewed as a tool that can be used alongside other applications, operators and network architectures to enable improved intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, according to Joseph Rouge, deputy director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the U.S. Space Force.
“Don’t think a sensor will solve your problems, think of architectures of sensors and people as solving your problems,” said Rouge during a recent ExecutiveBiz forum. “It’s architecture that has to be done. Different users and functions will have different architectural functions.”
Joseph Rouge is scheduled to participate in an expert panel discussion on the importance of sensors in the U.S. military during the Military Service’s Intelligence: Plans and Priorities Forum, scheduled for April 20 and hosted by GovCon Wire Events.
