Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/46658
• Entry/exit routes: Where are courtyard gates located? What types of materials compose the gates? Where are all the doors and windows in the buildings? Will the ground slope allow military vehicles to drive into the area? Where's the most-convenient place to land helicopters, and what are the obstructions to avoid? • Line-of-sight views: What's visible from key posi- tions? Where's the best location to station a sniper or provide cover fire? How might terrain interfere with communications? At the end of the process, the analyst generates annotated imagery, detailed maps and briefing reports. The analyst also might create a 3-D computer model of the compound that enhances visualization and mis- sion simulation. All of these products are optimized to focus only on key insights for easy consumption by commanders and ground forces, because unnecessary data distract and obscure. The Future of GEOINT Traditionally, analysts generate products that are pri- marily static and constrained to a fixed time period or limited database, but that's changing. GEOINT contin- ues to evolve as technology advances and missions demand more capability. Four ongoing trends highlight the future direction of GEOINT: 1. An explosion of sensors, sensor platforms and data sources is increasing availability of still- and full- motion imagery. 2. Cloud-based architectures and applications are open- ing common access to multiple intelligence databases. 3. Publishing in new formats that non-GIS users can manipulate is making it easier to disseminate geospa- tial intelligence. 4. Streaming real-time information is improving tactical operations through collective sharing and instantaneous insight. Beyond Bin Laden These emerging trends already are affecting military operations. Not long after the Bin Laden mission, another military force was engaged in a mission of its own in the barren deserts of Arizona. The Arizona National Guard's 860th Military Police (MP) Company participated in the Empire Challenge 2011 joint-forces exercise, tasked with testing emerging technologies available for rapid delivery to warfighters. The 860th MP was granted a unique advantage: its own tactical 3G communications network connecting the unit directly with the Company Intelligence Support Team (CoIST). Brigade command teams streamed real-time full- motion video and geospatial intelligence from airborne assets directly to standard smartphones. Soldiers used Overwatch's SoldierEyes mobile handheld applications lNew technologies such as Overwatch's SoldierEyes smartphone application are making it easy to collect and share georeferenced intelligence. Not only is this improving dissemination of useful intelligence, it's integrating ground-based troops into the full GEOINT workflow. to collect, report and transmit georeferenced battle- field information (e.g., video, reports, photos, etc.), effortlessly sharing critical data among members of their unit and CoIST analysts. The real-time communication and intelligence pro- vided each soldier "a virtual Intel analyst" who sup- ported them as they maneuvered on the ground. In one instance, this allowed the convoy commander to see a potential ambush and conduct counter opera- tions that defeated the enemy. The high-profile mission on Osama bin Laden's com- pound highlighted the valuable role of GEOINT, a role sharpened across a decade of conflict, and the Empire Challenge exercise demonstrated what's possible if ground forces are fully integrated into the GEOINT workflow. Consistent investment in GEOINT hardware and software assets has given the United States a "high-ground" advantage. The thousands of analysts who serve silently in the background transform GEOINT into a force multiplier, creating the conditions necessary for warfighter safety and mission success. Through analysts' work, GEOINT is helping win the fight. Adam Bennett is product marketing manager, Geospatial Solutions, Overwatch Systems; e-mail: abennett@overwatch.textron.com. OCT O BER 2O11 / WWW . GEOPLA CE . C OM 17