Introduction to ICT rationalization program of the Finnish Defence Forces from Enterprise Architecture viewpoints, Part A

Utilization of Enterprise Architecture approach in major transformation of Military Affairs and ICT services in Finland 2004 - 2008.

This is the first part of series of writings under this title!

SUMMARY OF THE TRANSFORMATION IN FINNISH DEFENCE FORCES (FINDEF)

In preparation for the improvement of the Military Affairs by 2008, there was initiative for preparing the branch of 6 (Communications and Information Systems) to better enable joint and interagency operations within Finland. This program was named The Rationalization of Information Management in Defence Forces (TIERA[1] in Finnish). Program was executed in three phases: I initialization, II preparation and III implementation. This paper is focusing on the phase III – Implementation.

The foundation for transformation was laid in the Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2004 white paper stating that:

1. Organization and command structure of the FINDEF will be flattened;
2. Command and Control of Defence will be renewed and integrated;
3. Administrative information management of the FINDEF will be rationalized.
   

These strategic guidelines meant that diversification of Services, Commands and Branches will end and Defence Forces shall start transformation towards more flexible, joint and networked organization. New performance was to be found from unification and coordination of military affairs strategy as depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Major transformation of organization and strategic affairs in Finnish Defence Forces 2008

Coordination was needed with joint operations and over distributed command of regional defence in all traditional operational dimensions. Unification was requested in having more streamlined support and force production functions. Transformation in military core affairs was calling after restructuring the whole information management and command systems that were mainly built to support separate functions per Service or Branch of Military. Rationalization also meant that administrative information management was to be provided as common service to all Services and Units within the FINDEF and its strategic partners.

Transformation in Military Affairs was seeking after the redesign of the ICT-structure starting from network topology, providing shared information for “one truth within enterprise” and standardizing most of the business applications at enterprise level. Figure 2 is showing the change from 2004 garrison based “stove pipe” information systems to Enterprise wide platforms, where specialization of the Services were still followed at tactical level. Consolidation of information technology was achieved by concentrating first to administrative and internet domains. As they were releasing resources, focus was turned towards operation and tactical domains. This provided also strategic transformation of resources from support towards core affairs in defence.

Figure 2: The transformation of ICT Architecture in Finnish Defence Forces

The 2008 ICT structure was providing more secure information and processing services both to peace time force production, international operations, interagency co-operation and war time intensive combat. Joint ICT-service provider, C4I Agency of Defence Forces, was established to provide services that enable flat command structure and joint and interagency operations in robust and survivable manner. Local applications and systems were consolidated and their ownership transferred to C4I Agency, which executed very strict elimination/substitution process at technology level. The ICT-structure of FINDEF was divided into seven remaining domains: 1.Internet, 2.Administration, 3.Operations, 4.Intelligence, 5.Sensors, 6.Fires and 7. Land tactical.

In the end of transformation most of the infrastructure, systems and data was operated by Joint ICT-service provider. The Services and Branches remained in charge of processes, information and knowledge. The Services also were to improve their tactical and battle technical capabilities. ICT investments were managed at enterprise level with capability portfolios. All joint and common ICT-systems were provided as a service (SaaS).

VISION FOR SMARTER DEFENCE FORCES

Stove piped approach did not produce major capabilities

The white paper for Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2001[1] declared that:

"The first stage of the development programme will be the issuing of procurement authorizations for intelligence, surveillance and command and control systems in the period 2000-2005. The main procurement projects concern mobile electronic intelligence and surveillance units, combining the data transfer systems of each of the services, information system integration, and modernization of the Air Force surveillance and command and control system to bring it up to par with the performance of the interceptors."

By 2003 though there had not been any major advances in combining data transfer systems or integrating information systems. Every service and branch was improving their own structure and capabilities without common strategy. It was evident that ruling culture of diversification needed to be changed with more drastic means.

Clear vision in context of a bigger picture

The creation of vision started early 2001 when first workshops were launched in drafting a business concept for networked military force modelled in Figure 3. Vision for modern military affairs was based on eTOM[2] business model since it captured all aspects of networked business and value chain.  Customer was replaced with Adversary and value stated as “effect in adversary’s system”. Operations was translated to force utilization and strategy to building readiness. Force support was already in the model as it is formed from networked business model. Management was changed to strategic planning covering the whole networked force with all its stake holders. Relationship management layer was turned to effect delivery. Services layer to teeth of combat i.e. combined arms capabilities. Resources layer was called management of resources and tail indicating both troops in operation and their supporting elements both in logistics and troop production. Supply chain layer was called chain of value in total defence. This indicated Defence Forces need to control the whole chain of value used to enable and deliver military effect.

Figure 3: New concept for military affairs using eTOM framework for digital enterprise

Shareholders were recognized as Government and Citizens closing the sides of Clausewitz’an triangle[3] and extended with personnel of Defence Forces. Strategic capabilities were reduced from the model by running a number of war games against different adversaries in various scenarios. Strategic capabilities of digitized Defence Forces were defined as:

• Effect based: Contrary to plain attrition of adversary force, the effects are directed to essential nodes of adversary’s force system which causes adversary to lose its capabilities exponentially.
• Plug and shoot: networked arms and sensor platforms together with troops that can be manoeuvred around the area of operation to avoid being destroyed by counter fire. Still they are plugged promptly to sensor and fires networks and able to deliver their effect in time and place.
• Plug and manage: a continuous flow of Command, Control, Communication, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance information flow and services that enable plug command posts into operational network and start conducting operations and tactical tasks.
• More together: a network of resources that can be tapped as needed and orchestrated with strategic and operational awareness to maximize the effect and support to forces.

This flexible model for military affairs was based on strategic strengths of faster learning and higher level of soldiers together with moral high ground of defending one’s own country.

Experimenting to gain assurance for some key components of new structure

This vision was tested in exercises and development projects[4] in Northern Command during 2001 – 2004. The intermediate report from Northern Command on 2002 was proposing a technical and process blueprints for future Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information structure. It also provided a concept for distributed command post structure that provided survivable and continuous management of Defence Forces. A transferable Operation Centre (TOC) was one of the experimental projects launched.

The TOC project was funded in the traditional way. The budget plan for years 2001 - 2005 was laid out in 1988. The project was given a task to rethink the whole concept from beginning and not necessarily follow the linear armament development approach. A spiral development method was chosen since objectives were not clear and capability target was moving. The first spiral was very careful minimizing all risks. It build a great confidence since the second cycle aimed to serve a very important exercise. After success, all levels of concept got speed into their development cycles and new innovation was introduced specially at the process level.

Information technology parts provided the most opportunities during the first two cycles, but afterwards the process level gained most results and enhanced the command and control in very profound manner – changing the method of staff work itself and not only the tools around Headquarters.

The TOC project provided an example of iterative development method where the objectives of each cycle were adjusted according feedback from Command post exercises. The project did achieve capabilities that were not imaginable in the year of founding (1998) but within the budget and timetable as anticipated. Figure 4 describes the cycles of spiral development in TOC project.

Figure 4: Development spirals of TOC development between 2001-2003

Experimenting provided needed assurance in:

• A Survivable Command Post concept
• Operation and execution processes that enabled distributed plug and manage concept
• A concept for “cloud computing” services and transferable provision of ICT services
• A spiral Development Method that provided controlled means to achieve goals that were not precisely defined.

Setting goals at highest level to gain authority for transformation

The transformation of Military Affairs in Finland was defined in the white paper of Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2004[5]. It declared the following goals to guide the change:

“Command of the smaller, more mobile wartime forces in the 2010s requires a situation picture as real-time as possible. To ensure correctly timed command arrangements, an integrated intelligence, surveillance and command and control system will be developed for the Defence Forces. This will enable the common real-time situation picture to be communicated to every service and the creation of sufficient communication links. The command and control system will be internationally interoperable.”

“The Defence Forces’ information management system will be rationalized. The new information technology platform will be divided into operational and administrative environments by the end of 2009. The administrative environment will be highly centralized, allowing allocation of resources to meet the needs of the operational information technology environment and also to enable other security authorities (determined separately) to be linked as users into the system.“

These two statements provided the highest sponsorship to start transformation of both Command and control (C2) structure and ICT infrastructure of the Finnish Defence Forces.

Firstly it launched the analysis of the strategic attributes for the transformation of command structure. Analyses was already started with earlier pilot programme for transferable command post but now it was extended to the Defence Command and its’ Research Centre. Focus was given to intelligence and situational awareness; target acquisition and fires; command, control and battle management; management of support and resources illustrated in Figure 5. The core C4ISTAR processes were supported with enablers as:

• Virtual execution: No key C2 process function should be too dependent on any site, time, system or specific people as it might be a single point of failure. Virtuality of structure and functions should provide the resiliency required in special area of operations in Finland.
• Flexible change of execution: If any command post, any troop, any weapon platform in any situation gains advantage over adversary, there should be ability to support that entity with other force elements available. Any feasible improvised means of countering adversary should be exploitable through the force.
• Competence Acquisition: Ability to learn and adapt to evolving situations. Systematic learning needed to be supported. This meant enabling both individual, team and machine learning during operations.
• Knowledge Management in four different situations:

             KNOWN – existing structured and unstructured information is available to all

             authorised users.

             KNOWABLE – Reachable data is available for experimenting, expert analyses,

             fact-finding, and scenario planning. Collaboration between decision makers and

             subject matter experts is accelerated.

             COMPLEX – active and forceful reconnaissance is connected with decision makers

             and different experts to enable modelling – probing – recognition – decision cycle to

             be faster than adversaries.

             CHAOTIC – decision makers are trained with a number of situations, decisions and

             analyses of outcome and made familiar with the features of area of operations.

Figure 5: The approach for improvement of C4ISTAR in FINDEF

These enablers and attributes were supported by three parallel structures of ICT services:

1. Situation services focused to share information on current situation and managing structured transactions
2. Voice services focused on enabling flexible collaboration with voice, video, chat and application sharing thus providing means for informal communication.
3. Content management services providing support to formalised, unstructured information management.

The three structures were built strategically parallel and to a degree independent thus providing reliability to digitalized C4ISTAR functions. There were no analogue or manual substitutes available in fully digitalized command structure unlike in previous generation command and control system of 1990’s.[6]

The white paper of 2004 was calling after “The new information technology platform will be divided into operational and administrative environments by the end of 2009.” This provided the strategic level views for information domains and policy in Enterprise Architecture: Tactical domains, Joint operational environment, Administrative environment and eFinland environment pictured in Figure 6. 

Figure 6: Vision for strategic information environments and their connections in FINDEF

These information domains were to be connected with secure gateways (GW) to allow information flowing in supporting force utilization and out to enable support and force production. Internet based services were to be used from Administrative environment in secure way. Administrative network based services were to be used from Joint operational environment. Services in tactical networks should be hosted both on joint operational infrastructure and on tactical platforms. The vision also predefined that outsourcing was to be used in improving cost-efficiency of ICT service production and in releasing in-house resources to be used more in joint operational environment.

STRATEGY FOR TRANSFORMATION

Major thresholds

The strategy for transformation of military affairs in Finland was divided into three phases illustrated in Figure 7:

Figure 7: Strategic phasing of transformation of FINDEF

1. ICT Rationalization (TIERA) 2004 – 2008 creating enabling infrastructure for other affairs to be changed. Focus was both on technical development but also improving the ICT service provider maturity. Subprojects included for example Rearranging the network infrastructure, Consolidation of common services in Administrative environment and establishing joint operational environment providing simple information services empowered with collaboration and content sharing.
2. Development of both operational and support functions of FINDEF with two programs of:

                 Integrated Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information,
                 Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (iC4ISTAR) 2004 – 2010
                 focusing on improving force utilization and

                 Enterprise Resource Management (ERM) 2005 – 2012 focusing on enabling
                 force production and support.

Network Enabled Defence 2006 – 2015 where joint and common enablers will support FINDEF to reach towards greater capabilities that provide strategic advantage. This phase was calling after new innovations and research to exploit new capabilities at military levels of tactics, operations and strategy in pursuing towards advantages over possible adversaries.

The challenge of these kind of transformation was captured from Gartner Group saying that there are two major caps to overcome on the journey:

• First cap is preventing the development of joint functions. This is predominant in enterprises that are diversified with long cultural legacy. This call after the change of power structure within enterprise as “stovepipe” ownerships, investments and service production diversifies the whole of organization.
• Second cap is preventing the development of joint capabilities. This calls after new ways in approaching adversary, projecting force and effecting in adversary’s system and utilization of force. Militaries throughout the history have struggled with this doctrinal transformation[1].

Campaign plan

The strategy in overcoming these major thresholds included major organizational changes on 2008 to close some strong organizations and create feeling of inevitable change within FINDEF. Leverage for transformation was provided also from outside of FINDEF with program for information society. Government was running this program to change the governance towards enterprise approach, improve the services towards citizens and enable transformation towards information society. This provided necessary outsider to drive development, interagency co-operation and integration with society. The campaign plan presented in Figure 8 was aiming a stage where information would be considered as an asset and also as a weapon. Journey towards these goals should be taken with small development steps. No revolutionary approach but merely accelerated evolution.

Figure 8: The campaign plan for transformation of FINDEF

The in-house transformation of FINDEF ICT structure included parallel experimenting and testing for new possibilities in defence and changing the existing ICT infrastructure. Plan called first the rationalization of administrative information environment and streamlining the support functions in military affairs. Experienced and more competent professionals were then focused to develop joint operational environment and integrate tactical domains with it. The new platform was planned to enable joint, interagency and information operations. As 2004 white paper for security and defence policy was providing the jump start declaration, there was 2009[2] white paper providing acceleration to transformation proclaiming that:

"The Defence Forces command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems generate an integrated military situation picture (land, sea and air as well as information and the IT environment). The national system is utilised to expedite planning, command and control and execution. Defence capability against an adversary’s cyber attacks is maintained and improved. The nationwide logistic system taps into the resources of the entire society in supporting military defence."

White paper set goals to integrated situational picture including the “cyber” dimension, protection against cyberattacks is improved and logistics is extended to reach further to defence value chain.

Enterprise architecture

The campaign plan was supported with enterprise architecture planning. First architecture project was established early on 2004 first to define existing structure but quickly it become means to provide orientation in strategic decisions during the journey. The enterprise architecture was divided into substructures presented in Figure 9 and partner to create integrated project team was chosen on late 2003.

Figure 9: Enterprise architecture subdivision in supporting the ICT infrastructure transformation

The planning of architecture was managed from two parallel dimensions: architecture team and business team. Architecture team was focusing on information systems and services layers whereas business team was supporting with business models and processes. Integration, platform and connectivity was planned within each executing project (Networks, Hallnet and Opnet) and firmly governed by J6 division (program office) in Defence Command. 

Besides the main reference architectures for administration and joint operations there were also subsets for Internet based services, interagency enablers, strategic partners and international interoperability efforts. They did not have their own reference plans but were defined features in other references. Tactical information environments were managed in operational reference architecture domain as pictured in Figure 10.

Figure 10: A view to reference architectures of FINDEF

The following chapters will illuminate further the substructures of enterprise architecture of FINDEF as the transformation was planned and executed.

This ends the first part of the paper on ICT transformation in FINDEF during 2004 - 2008 from enterprise architecture viewpoint.