The Boeing Company in conjunction with the Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has
developed an agent-based technology for connecting tactical edge platforms with the emerging Global Information Grid.
The technology was demonstrated as part of a live-flight test using The Boeing Company's F-15E Advanced
Technology Demonstrator aircraft. The core technology developed and demonstrated as part of the live-flight test is
called the Platform Adaptor Agent (PA). The Platform Adaptor Agent provides a mechanism for a tactical platform like
the F-15E to receive GIG information. GIG information provides improved tactical awareness and information that
enables the war-fighter to increase mission effectiveness. The Platform Adaptor Agent also enables information
produced by the tactical edge to be published to the GIG. These published data provide improved real-time situational
awareness in command elements such as the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC).
A range of Community of Interest (COI) Infospheres and systems is being independently developed and deployed by
separate elements of U. S. forces and potential coalition partners. Because future operations will increasingly rely on
seamless exchange of information between coalition partners, it is critical that all tactical and command elements be able
to dynamically interact with these diverse systems. Solving this issue requires that each network element (platform,
commander, war-fighter, etc.) be able to span, dynamically join and leave different COI systems as operational
requirements dictate.
The COI Interoperability Agent (CIA) is the centerpiece of our solution. It will enable each battle space entity to join,
interact with, and leave multiple COIs. Each CIA consists of a common core containing the Information Router, COI
Initiator (COIN) factory, Platform Initiator (PIN) factory, and Security Manager Components along with one or more
platform modules and COI modules. Bi-directional information flow is directed by the Information Router. The COIN
enables dynamic connection to a COI. A COIN consists of two parts: 1) a Java Jar file containing the COI Module code
establishing a COI connection and 2) a data component that configures the COI Module. The CIA uses the COIN factory
to load and configure new COI Modules. The PIN factory fills a similar role for Platform Modules. The Platform
Module contains code to link to a specific tactical entity. The CIA concept provides a path for the war-fighter to
dynamically connect to multiple COIs without a priori knowledge of COIs that will be needed.
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