IT-21: SPAWAR Delivers the Navy's Horizontally Integrated C4ISR System.

摘要

This paper describes the process improvements that comprise the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command's Horizontal Integration Initiative. The paper will specify how these process improvements are leading to improved capability, sustainability, and cost effectiveness, as the System Command fields successive Blocks of its horizontally integrated product line: 'IT-21'. In the past two decades the IT Revolution has offered Navy Warfighters the promise of Information Dominance'. Implementing that promise has, however, imposed significant change management challenges for the Navy's C4ISR directorate, SPAWARSYSCOM. Most importantly, proliferating data interfaces and protocols compromised Fleet interoperability within the Navy Battlegroup, and every succeeding level beyond. IT-21 is COMSPAWAR's strategy to implement process improvements intended to improve every feature of Fleet C4ISR performance. The paper briefly describes iterative improvements leading up to the current IT-21 re-engineering initiative, and discusses development and fielding plans for SPAWAR's initial - fully integrated product line: IT-21 Block 1. An organizational overview of this IT-21 Block 1 architecture within its functional enclaves (Genser, SCI, UNCLAS, Networks, Transport) lists the key features of the end to end' design package. Finally, the paper charts the intended future path of IT-21, as plans for successive IT-21 Builds focus on future mission requirements, and the incorporation of next generation C4ISR technologies. Methods of incorporating future IT-21 builds within both the Navy's new ship construction schedules and Battlegroup upgrades are explored.