Updated: 2022
DESCRIPTION
Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) is a system-of-systems that supports the intelligence warfighting function to assist the commander’s visualization and understanding of the threat and other relevant aspects of the operational environment. DCGS-A is the Army’s cornerstone intelligence system for sensor tasking, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) at all echelons, and provides unprecedented, timely, relevant, and accurate data to Soldiers from Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router up to the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level. It gives commanders the ability to task battlespace sensors and receive intelligence information from multiple sources on the battlefield.
DCGS-A consists of both software and hardware. Hardware includes user laptops and desktops, fixed, portable and vehicle-mounted servers, and ground stations to receive, share, and store collected intelligence. Software tools allow users to select and pull from 700-plus data sources, perform analysis, and share intelligence products generated from that analysis.
The Army produces and fields DCGS-A capability on various hardware platforms using consolidated software releases. DCGS-A’s modular, open systems architecture allows rapid adaptation to changing mission circumstances. As an analyst toolset, the system enables the user to collaborate, synchronize, and integrate organic and nonorganic collection elements with operations. As the intelligence component supporting the operation, DCGS-A can discover and use all relevant threat, noncombatant, weather, geospatial and space data, and evaluate technical data and information.
Final technology upgrades of DCGS-A will be accomplished through the acquisition and delivery of Capability Drop 2, which addresses Army’s Intelligence data needs, connects to Joint and Intelligence Community data sources, and provides access to intelligence data and analytics for soldiers at all echelons.
BENEFIT TO THE SOLDIER
DCGS-A connects Soldiers to the Intelligence Community, other Services, multiple Army and joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms and sensors, and Mission Command systems. It gives commanders the ability to view ISR information in one place and integrates that information into tools that support intelligence production and dissemination.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Intelligence Fusion Server (IFS): Provides deployable, ruggedized commercial servers that host All Source and Single Source intelligence tools for Army units at Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and higher echelons, providing intelligence analysis, processing, and dissemination capabilities to supported units
- Portable Multifunctional Workstation (P-MFWS): The commercial analyst laptop provided to Army units at Battalion and above echelons which provides access to Intelligence analyst tools and data
- Fixed Multifunctional Workstation (F-MFWS): The commercial analyst workstations that provides simultaneous access to analyst tools and data at multiple security levels
- Cross Domain Server Set (CDSS): Enables the transfer of data, combat information, and intelligence across multiple security levels between DCGS-A systems
- Tactical Intelligence Ground Station (TGS): An expeditionary system that receives and exploits Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) data, imagery, full motion video (FMV), moving target indicator (MTI), and Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) data to support intelligence analysis and dissemination at BCT through Corps echelons
- GEOINT Workstation (GWS): A deployable commercial ruggedized workstation designed to support large-scale processing, exploitation, dissemination, and storage of geospatial data and digital imagery
- Intelligence Processing Center (IPC): There are two IPC variants deployed as part of DCGS-A. Both leverage commercial servers and storage to provide DCGS-A capabilities at multiple levels of classification. IPC-V1 provides support to the intelligence processing, exploitation, and dissemination mission of Army units at Echelons above Corps (EAC), hosting all DCGS-A tools in support of EAC to tactical Army users. IPC-V2 is the BCT and Division commander’s primary expeditionary ISR processing, exploitation, dissemination, and analysis system.
- Capability Drop 1 (CD1): A commercial item that consists of laptops and software specifically configured to support All Source Intelligence operations at the Battalion echelon
- Capability Drop 2 (CD2): Addresses the Army’s need for a solution that incorporates current industry approaches to enable centralized data receipt, processing, refinement, management, storage, and access
PROGRAM STATUS
- 1QFY18: Increment 1, Release 2, Service Pack 1 First Unit Equipped
- 3QFY19: CD1 Fielding started
- 1QFY21: DCGS-A CD1 Transition to Sustainment
- 2QFY21: DCGS-A Ground Station Modernization, Other Transaction Authority Contract Award
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
- 2Q-3QFY21: DCGS-A CD2 Developmental Tests with Soldier touchpoints
- 1QFY22: DCGS-A CD2 Operational Test
