Has technology made our lives easier? Has the advent of the Internet, cell phone and personal digital assistant (PDA) simplified our lives? Do these devices make decision-making more efficient? What about more effective?

In a network-centric environment, the answer would be yes.

The Strategic Architecture organization at Boeing is defining the context of the network-centric world and what is required to make it a reality. For more than two years the organization has been working with customers within Boeing, as well as government agencies, to educate, discuss and develop the elements of the network-centric world.

What is a network-centric environment? According to Carl O’Berry, vice president of Strategic Architecture, it isn’t merely a proliferation of more pintsized devices. “In a network-centric world the devices and tools already at our disposal gather information about our macro environment and synthesize that data to provide the user with needed and pertinent information to the situation at hand,” he said. “The phrase ‘needed and pertinent information’ is key. The point is not to create more information noise. The ability to ‘know what is’ and the ability to predict ‘what will be’ are the objectives of operating in a network-centric environment.”

The initial focus of the Strategic Architecture group has been with the Department of Defense. A network-centric operation, from a military perspective, is the embodiment of an information age transformation. The strategic focus is on interoperability of existing and new platforms. Battlespace entities, including platforms, units, sensors and shooters, must be designed “net ready.”

However, Boeing is not attempting to define the Global Information Grid and build new platforms and equipment to plug into this grid. Instead, the approach is to build the grid by using current capabilities and focusing on an open architecture.

“Our approach is to utilize the current capabilities and platforms and turn those into nodes within the Global Information Grid,” said Tip Slater, deputy director of the Boeing Strategic Architecture organization. “Each command center, aircraft, tank and soldier becomes a node enabling the creation of the global information grid. Building a common and open architecture into systems and platforms is essential to support the information superiority vision of the Department of Defense.”

The result is that each node can share information with other nodes allowing for more pertinent and accurate data available to each decision maker, whether from a command center or on the battlefield.

The concept of the common and open architecture is indeed becoming increasingly important. The Future Combat System (FCS) program, Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) and the Family of Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program each support a common architecture. Boeing, as the lead system integrator on the FCS program, is tasked with defining the open architecture requirements for subsequent Army platforms and systems. Engineers from the Strategic Architecture organization are working alongside FCS program personnel to ensure an effective, network-centric approach is designed into all systems.

Boeing is working to ensure that all of its programs are cognizant of this approach. Within the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems organization, representatives from the Strategic Architecture organization are key members of each of the business strategy councils representing interests as diverse as missile defense to aerospace support to precision engagement requirements.

“As we work with each organization within the company we learn more about each customer’s requirements and are able to infuse the network-centric approach into all relevant developmental activities,” O’Berry said. “We need to get beyond thinking of each program as a separate entity. The goal needs to be to create a dynamic system. In doing so, we can exponentially increase the capabilities of our customer.”

A key tool to demonstrate a network-centric environment is the Boeing Integration Center (BIC). The BIC can be linked to other developmental laboratories across the country to demonstrate the efficacy of a network-centric environment. The labs communicate in real time to simulate warfare scenarios in a network-centric environment.

“We are demonstrating to them that a network-centric operation is achievable in the near-term. We are showing them the tremendous capability that can be enabled with little additional cost,” O’Berry said. “It is all a matter of thinking beyond the scope of the particular requirement or platform and envisioning an enhanced information exchange that can improve operations and, ultimately, save lives.”

But when can we expect a network-centric environment to be commonplace? According to the Strategic Architecture team, it isn’t that far in the distant future. “The implementation of network-centric capabilities is already under way. We certainly expect to see our nation’s defense forces embody this approach in the next few years,” Slater said. “In the next 10 years or so, I expect our daily environment will be a network-centric one.”