INTERCONNECTS

More than 16,000 military, government, homeland security, and commercial industry leaders have seen a window to the future at the Boeing Integration Center in Anaheim, Calif., since its inaugural demonstration in November 2000. The “BIC” is a high-tech simulation theater where people experience critical decision-making technology aids in action within a networked environment. Inside the 13,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-media facility, warfighters, air traffic controllers, border security officials, and others see the “before” and “after” effects of having the right information at the right time. WINDOW TO THE FUTURE – The Boeing Integration Center, located in Anaheim, Calif., is Boeing's primary visualization center. Here in this 13,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-media facility, warfighters, air traffic controllers, border security officials, and others see the "before" and "after" effects of having the right information at the right time. Visitors plug their requirements, capabilities, and technologies into a network and wage real-time simulated "missions," bringing real-life experiences to the discussion in search of improved information sharing, enhanced situational awareness, and enabled speed of command for improved mission effectiveness. In this picture, the woman at the console is one of two who are performing as battlefield commanders. Relying on more than one milion lines of code to drive its training and simulation exercises, visitors can envision a world where all systems and platforms share information. This access to information, seamlessly and transparently, improves situational awareness and can be used to support those who protect the peace, secure our homeland, or improve our quality of life. Photo by Michael Gail. Visitors’ requirements, capabilities and technologies are plugged into a network and real-time simulated “missions” are waged. This allows real-life experiences to be brought into the discussion in search of improved information sharing, enhanced situational awareness, and enabled speed of command for improved mission effectiveness. "The Boeing Integration Center is a tremendous example of the power of partnership that must exist between industry and government as we build a military force for the 21st century,” said Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations. “The insights I gained from my visit to the BIC on the important issues facing all of us will be invaluable in the future.” The BIC is part of Boeing’s Simulation Network, and draws information from government and commercial simulation centers, including the Boeing Virtual Warfare Center and the Center for Integrated Defense Solutions in St. Louis, as well as the Boeing Integrated Technology Development Laboratory in Seattle, Wash. The data is used in the formation of modeling scenarios that prove the effectiveness of advanced technology in specific environments. Boeing continuously enhances the BIC by adding new features, capabilities, interfaces, and modeling tools. Today more than one million lines of operational software code drive its training and simulation exercises. Interoperability forms the foundation of every BIC demonstration, and the principal enabling factor is a communication and information architecture reference model that enables systems and platforms, such as helicopters, satellites, fighter jets, etc. to become nodes on a network. Data sources are queried, information collected and formulated, verified, and disseminated to those who need it in order to more quickly achieve operational objectives, protect lives, secure the homeland, defend a nation, or make daily life easier. “Imagine a network-centric world where space-based sensors and communication systems allow us to know with precision where things are on earth, in the air, and in relation to each other,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. “It’s a world where the individual has true situational awareness of everything that surrounds him,” continued Albaugh. “Where, in real time, we have the information that allows us to see, evaluate, perceive intent, and react accordingly. This capability will profoundly change the way we operate together, changes that allow us to take the right actions every day in response to exponentially changing forces. Network-centric operations is the future, and not only is Boeing making it possible, we use real data to visualize this every day at the BIC.” Carl O’Berry, vice president, Strategic Architecture, for Boeing, concurred. “We’ve listened to our customers, we support the Joint Vision 2010 and 2020 statements from the Department of Defense, and we are developing the technology that makes it possible to interoperate, regardless of system, location, or manufacturer,” he said. “At the BIC, we show what’s possible when technical incompatibilities are substantially alleviated or, even better, eliminated.” Boeing Strategic Architecture operates the BIC and is also charged with developing a Boeing-wide strategic communication and information architecture; for deploying this architecture into all Boeing systems; and for certifying that all Boeing systems interoperate.