Joint Theater Logistics: an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, July-August, 2003 by Ellen Cox

Imagine the following scenario. A Joint Task Force operations planner, the 3rd Fleet N3, the 3rd Fleet N4 and G3 for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) are scattered across the globe. They are each sitting at their individual computers and watching as the following takes place.

The Joint Task Force operations planner drags and drops an icon representing forces available to the planner from the global forces onto a map showing where they are needed. All four players can see what the planner has done, as he does it.

The second player, the 3rd Fleet N3, drags and drops these same units into the task force unit and creates a new task force (battle group) ready for deployment.

The third player, the 3rd Fleet N4, sees the new task force and adds the necessary support ships onto the map. As the N3 places the new task force on the map, N4 proceeds to adjust the committed equipment totals and confirm adequate levels of support have been provided.

The G3 for 1st MEF, seeing the development of a new task force is already looking for an MEU [Marine Expeditionary Unit] to add to the amphibious ready group in support of the task force. The G4 is drilling down into the 1st Force Service Support Group to determine if all of the support necessary is ready for deployment.

All four players view the same data and any update performed by any player as it happens.

Something for the future? No, it's already here and has been shared as the Joint Theater Logisitics Advanced Concepts Technology Demonstration (JTLACTD).

The actions in the above scenario provide examples of just a few of the capabilities of the JTL Advanced Concepts Technology. It also gives a good insight to the way users interact to modify both the visual and content of the underlying information. With additional users on line, the Army and Air Force component of the JTF would also be able to participate in the collaboration process and develop their parts of the same plan at the same time.

The author recently interviewed retired Army colonel, Dr. Louis Mason, the Program Manager and the initial designer for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Joint Theater Logistics (JTL) Advanced Concepts Technology Demonstration. The purpose of the interview was to discuss JTL, where it came from, how it works, its ultimate goals and its implications for joint logistics. Since completion of that demonstration, JTL has now moved into the pilot services phase of development, pending a decision for full fielding.

According to Mason, collaboration in the decision community is accomplished by shared content, shared markings, and a shared blueprint.

Shared content is the coordination between users of the objects in a specific appliance. For example, two users are working on a generic map. One user, the Army operations element (G3), drags and drops a new object of a unit on to the map. The other user, the Army logistics element (G4), sees the object as it is placed on the map and can drill down to see the details of this new object and its support requirements, thereby collaborating on the underlying content.

Shared markings is the coordination between users of markings and object colors. In this example, again the same two users (G3 and G4) are collaborating on the same generic map. This time, each user is drawing lines and dragging and dropping graphics, in near real time, on the map. These graphic objects and markings are permanent until erased by one of the clients.

Both users may select and change the color identifying previously positioned units. As an example, G3 activates the flashlight tool and highlights a specific area on the map. He uses this collaborative aid to show the other user, the G4, where to place a new supply point. When the G4 positions the supply point the G3 releases the flashlight and that highlight disappears from the map. Now G4 has dragged and dropped a sticky on the map. He uses this to annotate the map with information about an incident, in this case the fact that an airbase runway was damaged and to give details about what operations at this facility have been affected. The G3 sees the sticky, does a mouse over to see the title and then opens it to see the details.

Shared blueprint is the coordination of an appliance's properties. Again, G3 and G4 share the same generic map. This time, the G4 decides to zoom out on the map while the G3 pans to the right. While they are looking at different sections of the map, both still see the same geo-registered content and markings.

These three key qualities define the "deep" or three-dimensional collaboration available in JTL and differentiate it from other collaboration tools. All of the capabilities are available in JTL and have been used successfully by war fighters from Pacific Command, Central Command, European Command, and Joint Forces Command during a recent exercise; as well as by the National Guard, fire, and police organizations in a recent Homeland Defense demonstration.

Excerpts from the author's interview with Dr. Mason follow: