Michael Powers (US Army) Gives Exclusive Interview on Defence Intelligence

Sept. 27, 2010 - PRLog -- In January 2010, Michael Powers gave a very popular presentation on "Building Your GIS Capability To Ensure Effective Support of Decisions In-Theatre & Across Organisations" at Defence Geospatial Intelligence Conference & Exhibition.

Michael Powers, now part of the Defence Geospatial Intelligence (DGI) 2011 Advisory Board, kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions on challenges that his team face and how geospatial intelligence has helped over the last few years ahead of Defence Geospatial Intelligence Event, January 24th-27th, London.

You can visit Defence Geospatial Intelligence Conference & Exhibition Website on: http://www.wbresearch.com/dgieurope/

I. GIS is becoming the basis of most decisions in-theatre and in HQ. How will GIS change the way generals and soldiers make decisions? Which parts of the defence organisation will adopt it first and which last?
Not certain it is becoming The basis, but its use is growing. That said, I believe GIS empowers Mission or Battle Command in two fundamental ways:
1A. At a most basic level, GIS is designed to adroitly handle spatial positioning and spatial relationships of the environment and objects( e.g. units, vehicles, threats and actors) within the environment. In that at a minimum, Commanders want to know where they are, where the threat is and what is my relationsip/orientation between the two GIS is a reasonable foundation.
1B. Once objects are placed in space (on the ground), GIS representations such as networks and graphs, facilitate the automation of object movements supporting predictive analysis. The resulting prediction (route) provides a relationship between the object, its location and a time window. This supports more complex Command tasks such as Course of Action Analysis, planning, wargaming, etc.
II. With the quantity of imagery and information growing every day, how do you see the defence geospatial intelligence function changing/coping with its key tasks?
The rapid increase in the quantity of imagery within GEOINT, is not balanced by the same rate of growth in cartographic data. I fear that this is skewing how GEOINT is perceived. To be certain, imagery is extremely useful over a wide range of geospatial intelligence functions.
2A. However, when one examines the type(s) of data Commanders are seeking to perform their Campaign or Mission Design, a strong feature data set will be required to balance the contextual foundation upon which their decisions are made. This opens new , untapped possibilities for GEOINT data beyond intelligence and analysis function to the operational staffs.
So, I do not believe we are at a point of equity between the two components comprising GEOINT.
2B. I believe the data explosion creates the contextual foundation common to all forces. Current programs and activities are quantitatively evaluating the value of geospatial data and information to create cognitive agility across Coalition partners in the conduct of operations. If affirmed, I believe the value placed in GEOINT will increase dramatically.

Read the full interview at http://www.wbresearch.com/dgieurope/powers.aspx
Defence Geospatial Intelligence (DGI) 2011 is the meeting place for the defence intelligence & GIS Software community. To learn more about the event, visit http://www.wbresearch.com/dgieurope/interviews.aspx

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