Transformational Approach

The Need

The DOD FP//HD/HS environment is rich with discussions of collaboration yet mired in a culture of autonomy that often supports siloed and territorial approaches. The urgency present in today’s environment dictates that a transformation must be made immediately. We must move from discussion of collaboration to action. It is in this spirit that THE SOSSEC PROGRAM’S’ transformation approach was born. The SOSSEC program is the catalyst that accelerates these stove-piped programs while creating an environment to facilitate System of System Security thinking and action.


Since solutions needed are multi-disciplinary, they are therefore inherently transformational. They will require patterns of operation, organization, personnel training and competencies, and uses of technology fundamentally different from current security and emergency ops in several ways. The power of this transformation lies not within a specific element but at the intersection of the elements involved- processes, organization, people, information, technology and the manner in which they evolve and combine to yield new capabilities.


This demands a transformation in the way Communities of Interest interact, and the ways, in which they conceive, plan, train, equip, and execute. For example, in many civil organizations, there is no direct counterpart to the command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions and structure that are a crucial component of military operations, or, where these exist, they often lack the maturity and uniformity found in military organizations. The adoption of suitable versions of these functions in FP/HD/HS will entail changes at multiple levels. The SOSSEC program will provide the transformation conduit.


A transformational process is needed to achieve these changes. It must address not only the introduction of new elements but the changes in relationships between existing systems and organizations; the way processes, tactics, plans, technologies are combined; the scale of integration and collaboration required; and the threats to infrastructure on which operations are based. We assert that this transformational process has been a crucial missing element in the development of FP/HD/HS capabilities.


This challenge, and the path toward its solution, bears a number of striking similarities to DOD’s experience in its own transformation to a more agile, knowledge-based, network-centric force, and many useful lessons, such as the need for an integrated approach to concepts, requirements, engineering, integration, experimentation, and training, can be applied here. Yet, while the similarities are compelling, they are by no means exhaustive. The FP/HD/HS space differs profoundly from DOD in several respects: major differences include the lack of a single unified hierarchy; the diversity of the players and communities involved; and the degree to which the threat and intended solutions are interwoven with the day-to-day functions of the larger society.


What is needed in the current environment is a means to trigger the transformative process, and establish an environment that attracts, rather than dictates, participation by the multiple concerned communities of interest. The vision and strategy developed within the SOSSEC program can provide the catalyst to trigger this process and accelerate its development in precisely this way.

The Structure

The SOSSEC core program is targeted at bridging the “cultural gap” between the DOD and DHS in terms of the people on the scene and developing regional Operation Centers (EOC) and working to improve the DOD’s ability to protect its troops during hostile actions and while supporting homeland emergency operations. With trained, motivated and dedicated personnel SOSSEC is a government program working in collaboration with industry and academia to improving by an order of magnitude the nation’s ability to detect, intervene, respond and recover to any and all threat on the homeland.


This transformation approach assures that the SOSSEC program will impartially address Force Protection, Homeland Defense and Security issues of national importance that will:

Require government sponsorship (e.g. independence)

Not be addressed by any one company but require input from many (e.g. culture, human factors, career progression)
Allow no proprietary interests (e.g. product evaluation, product line development)
Require a comprehensive viewpoint (e.g. across systems, across jurisdiction, technology / architectural standards)

Mission Areas

To facilitate the transformational approach, SOSSEC will focus on seven strategic mission areas:

Research

• Technology Transformation
• Systems Engineering
• Systems Acquisition
• Consultation
• Awareness
• Training
• Research

SOSSEC works to develop and test new and emerging tactics, techniques, procedures and technology for Homeland Defense, Homeland Security and Force Protection problems. It provides access to evaluation and test facilities, basic research, workshops and the SOSSEC core research program to interested and involved participants at the federal, state and local level as well as organizations engaged in similar research.

Core Research

Goal of the core program: Human factors and investigation into tactics, techniques and procedures to adapt the technology to the needs of responders in the field, to reduce workload, faster response, provide more focused response, simplify processes and reduce maintenance costs.

• Bridge the “gap”
• Career field
• Human Factors
• Interoperability
• Product Evaluation
• Domain Specific Architecture Product Line of EOCs

Technology Transition

One of SOSSEC’s primary goals is to hasten the application of new tactics, techniques procedures and technology to Homeland Defense, Homeland Security and Force Protection. SOSSEC identifies and aids in maturation of selected research technologies such as less than lethal/TBRL, biometrics, sensors, lethal defeat mechanisms, and licensing these technologies to its industry.

• DOD Technology repackaging and licensing
• SOSSEC developed products
• Training
• Software
• Other
• Sensors
• Less than Lethal
• Biometrics
• Defeat of Lethal Mechanisms
• Enterprise Architecture
• Logistics Products

System Engineering

SOSSEC is and will be conducting a number of programs for federal government (Congressional and agency programs) and local municipalities dedicated to improving the nation’s ability to respond to threats. Applying advanced system engineering principles, SOSSEC unites these programs into a “System of Systems” framework based upon industry standards-based enterprise architecture and sound principles of interoperability.

Development of program requirements based on system-of-system paradigm
Program execution within a system-of-system paradigm
Development of system engineering principles and processes for system-of-systems integration of programs

System Acquisition

SOSSEC works with the acquisition community to improve the acquisition processes for Homeland Defense, Homeland Security and Force Protection. These studies and recommendations are structured to address impediments in the acquisition policies and procedures that restrict rapid deployment of advanced solutions to Homeland Defense, Homeland Security and Force Protection problems. The System Acquisition mission area also addresses the capability to “rapidly” produce essential hardware and products to address emergency conditions or unique acquisition obstacles.

Develop new and novel acquisition strategies and approaches, and test approaches in “test” acquisitions
Streamline acquisition methods
Off-the-SOSSEC-shelf sole source
Identification of impediments to acquisition interoperable systems
Rapid prototyping

Consultation

SOSSEC provides a forum for answers to questions at any and all levels on Force Protection/Homeland Defense/Homeland Security issues. Consultation services are provided upon request to federal, state and local authorities. Operations of a verification and test facility to certify products for use in emerging operations are also included under this consultation mission area as are the development of new tactics, techniques and procedures for the incorporation of new and emerging technologies.

Awareness

SOSSEC conducts periodic demonstrations of selected technologies. This allows the showcase of progress in individually funded programs, demonstrate new/innovative tactics, techniques, procedures and technologies and test system of system engineering principles. These Layered Defense Demonstrations (LDD) are also used to raise awareness throughout the legislative and Homeland Defense, Homeland Security and Force Protection community by being open and public. The ARDEC 3500 Facility provides the benefit of a “showcase” site for the exercise of new and emerging technologies as well as providing a venue for vetting new tactics, techniques and procedures.

Evaluation and Training

The SOSSEC evaluation and training goal is to provide facilities, experienced personnel and opportunities for local, state and federal HD responders to conduct hands-on, interagency training with the latest technologies. The facility also provides the opportunity to develop and evaluate technology and develop techniques, tactics and procedures for the successful utilization of new and improved technologies.

Relationship of the Mission Areas