Vanguard Magazine

22 JUNE/JULY 2017 www.vanguardcanada.com JoInt TArGETING J tions watch floor focused on supporting all of Canada's domestic and international missions twenty-four hours a day. It is highly connected, houses a robust intelligence staff, a geospatial intel- ligence capability and the headquarters of Canadian Special Op- erations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). The emphasis is on "integrated" and it is here that the Canadian Armed Forces have been melding intelligence production and operations watches, en- hancing information sharing, and nurturing the kind of culture and center of gravity that is quite informative when designing a Joint Targeting Enterprise. Similarly, the Joint Information Intelligence Fusion Centre (JI- IFC) has led the way in providing timely and agile command and control solutions to the Canadian Armed Forces. Successful inno- vations have included a fused, multilayered Command View of all missions and operations, a near-real-time strategic common opera- tions picture and a safe and reliable classified data transfer capability. All these tools have aided in strategic decision making for over ten years. Now with the intentions of standing up a recognized Joint Targeting enterprise, JIIFC has a central role as the coordination lead for Joint Targeting automation on Canadian Armed Forces classified networks. The concept of operations and intelligence in- tegration under one roof supported by data, information and intel- ligence fusion capabilities is the second point of strength for the standing up of a Joint Targeting capability in the digital age. Looking at Canadian intelligence concepts developed for for- ward deployed forces, Afghanistan was the operational catalyst that led to an All Source Intelligence Centre (ASIC). In 2016, the CAF set up an ASIC as a part of Operation Impact, responsible for collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing information derived from a variety of sources. Now the intelligence being gathered from ASIC is being used to inform operational planning, ultimately contributing to the protection of coalition forces and the conduct of coalition operations. As the Canadian Armed Forces takes steps to establish a perma- nent and recognized Joint Targeting enterprise, it will build on past success while at the same time innovating with the modern science and technology. The current human-centric structures (CFICC, JIIFC, ASIC) can only take the targeting process so far in the digi- tal age. As Charlie Lewis wrote in "Capturing Flying Insects: A Machine Learning approach to Targeting," for War on the Rocks, "Targeting with machine learning by definition improves with experience. Using algorithms to help identify specific knowledge from data and experience based on sound statistical and computa- tional principles, machine learning uses computers to find hidden insights without being explicitly programmed where to look." Google, Facebook and Amazon all use data and machine learning algorithms to provide billions of dollars in revenue. The Economist states, "Google can see what people search for, Facebook what they share, Amazon what they buy." This "God's eye view" of activities in the consumer markets of the world is powerful. They know what you want to buy before you are aware of your own need. In a similar fashion, machine learning allows for faster and more accurate targeting. It assists in detecting, identifying, track- ing, and determining the best combination of munition and non- munitions effects for a target. For example, is that terrorist in the compound with women and children or on patrol? It is this kind of value, and much more, that data sciences embedded in a Joint Targeting enterprise can benefit from. Our allies acknowledge they need to adapt. In the words of Charlie Lewis, "Machine learning used to consolidate big data, apply that data to a strategy, and make decisions in one-millionth of a second transforms the military's ability to target… ." In establishing a permanent Joint Targeting capability, the Cana- dian Armed Forces can innovate from the outset and leverage the technological advances and opportunity that big data and machine learning can offer. Embracing the digital age for a modern, digitally enabled Joint Targeting enterprise will make a qualified contribution to Canadian Armed Forces operations, and the Defence Science and Technology community is taking steps to make it happen. dan Landry is a defence science programme manager responsible for the emergent Joint Targeting portfolio at DND's ADM Science and Technology. He is also a retired naval officer, mariner, oceanographer and C4ISr leader. "Machine learning allows for faster and more accurate targeting. It assists in detecting, identifying, tracking, and determining the best combination of munition and non-munitions effects for a target." Take advantage of the Early Bird rate, visit www.C4ISRandbeyond.com For more Information on Sponsorship, please contact: Marcello Sukhdeo, National Account Manager 905-727-4091 Ext. 224 or marcellos@netgov.ca For more information or to register, contact: Laskey S. Hart, Director, Social Content & Events 647-794-1205 or laskey@promotivemedia.ca

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