Defense Technology International - September 2007 - (Page 58) THE NET PETER BUXBAUM DISCOVERY CHANNELS U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency analysts, like those at other intelligence agencies, typically rely on conventional keyword searches for data. That works if a user knows what to ask for. The method is inefficient, and some sources say analysts spend an average of 10 hr. per week searching for data, half the time coming away with little of value. Limited access to meaningful data, coupled with the insularity of the U.S. intelligence community, has led to claims that intelligence and law enforcement agencies possessed information suggesting the 9/11 attacks were imminent. Had analysts been able to connect the dots, the reasoning goes, the attacks might have been prevented. This is probably an unfair assessment—hindsight is 20:20, after all. But the attacks did serve as a wakeup call to the importance of pooling resources and making disparate data sources readily accessible. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently implemented the second phase of an advanced data- access system that increases the ability of analysts to access data from multiple sources worldwide. The project’s goal is to make readily available even the most obscure field reports and intelligence updates. Benefits include the possibility of detecting activity that could signal a national threat. The original program, called Alien— all-source intelligence environment— uses advanced search technologies that overcome limitations of conventional searches. The second phase of the program, called Landing 2, implemented by McDonald Bradley Inc. of Herndon, Va., supports data sharing across all Defense Dept. intelligence systems, domains, offices and U.S. combat commands that are linked to the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System. Alien was developed by Cambridge, Mass.-based Endeca Technologies . The program permits DIA analysts to access with a single log-in structured and unstructured intelligence sites. They will also be able to locate critical information, most of which would otherwise be missed. Alien enables information-sharing 58 of noise that he’s not interested in,” says Bartee. Semantic markup of data enhances search results. “If a user needs to search 40 intelligence sources for with “semantically enhanced and information on the intent of an enrichly metadata-tagged data based emy,” Bartee says, “we are able to on a common metadata standard gets results within a narrow band of from multiple databases,” accord- what the user is looking for.” ing to Lewis Shepherd, DIA research Adding context to data creates chief. a “push” type of information flow, DIA is deploying 13 commercial says Shepherd, in which analysts and program tools to standardize data decision-makers are automatically formats and inject greater semantic provided the information they need meaning into data. The data-extrac- without extensive searching. “Today, tion tools work 24/7 on the agency’s users compose and perform complex data traffic, converting it to formats queries in their hunting and gathunderstood across multiple domains. ering efforts,” he says. “What they Metadata-tagging services automati- prefer are systems smart enough to cally add components, such as dates semantically understand raw text, correlate multiple types of information and compose relationships across all sources of data. Once the system understands people, places, things and events mentioned in texts and the relationships between them, it is able to route real-time information where it is needed.” Despite the technological advances in data analysis, some observers U.S. Army paratroopers head to an obser- question whether the vation post in Afghanistan. Their intel human side of operareports will be accessible to DIA analysts tions is ready to share with new data-access program. information and insights to the extent that comand locations that make information puters make possible. Intelligence more easily searchable. Still other is the product of applying human tools perform semantic markup, a judgment and experience to infortechnique for encoding meaning and mation. Human factors, rather than context into metatags. technology, continue to impede true These processes also make data intelligence-sharing, says Mark Kaformats compatible with one another gan, a former analyst with the DIA and, more significantly, they create a and National Security Agency. semantic context so that search en“The technology solution is relagines better understand queries and tively easy to apply, but the cultural, provide results that are more likely bureaucratic and psychological factors to match user needs. are more difficult,” Kagan says. “It’s Landing 2 has a number of inno- hard to change how things work, esvations. It allows people who are pecially when people have been docleared into several different classi- ing them the same way for years.” fied databases to access all of them What does Kagan suggest to imwith a single log-in and lets them prove information-sharing? “Politisearch for information through one cal, psychological and bureaucratic portal, says Ken Bartee, CEO of Mc- factors have to be embedded in any Donald Bradley. An analyst requiring solution from the beginning. They information from several systems, for can’t be bolted on later or you won’t example, will be able to access them be as successful as you think.” all without having to log into each In other words, sharing informaseparately. “The analyst can get the tion and data do not equate with data he is looking for without a lot sharing intelligence. I www.aviationweek.com/dti DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2007 U.S. ARMY SGT. BRANDON AIRD http://www.aviationweek.com/dti
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