DataMan wins top award for UK's JAGO
At the C4ISR Journal ’s Annual Conference & Awards Ceremony, held in Washington, DC, DataMan won the Network Systems Award. The Top five are selected from five categories; Platforms, Sensors, Organisations, Innovations and Networks Systems.
DataMan is connected to the UK military’s secure network in Afghanistan and delivers a common geospatial picture, via a secure online browser called a Geoviewer. It brings together a huge range of otherwise disparate data from multiple sources, the common factor being location.
In March 2010 it was successfully deployed in Afghanistan by JAGO, operated by 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) and, within nine months, was receiving over two million hits per month from a wide range of users throughout the command chain. For the first time, JAGO is able to ensure that everyone, from geospatial analysts to patrols on the ground just requiring a map, are referring to the same, accurate pool of current information and intelligence. The system is powered by Esri’s ArcGIS, a standards-based COTS (SCOTS) geospatial information system. Esri UK’s role in supporting JAGO in DataMan’s development was also recognised as part of the Award.
Ben Iannotta, editor of C4ISR Journal, stated the reason for DataMan’s nomination, which was based around its rapid acquisition and simplicity. “The ability for troops to view information from multiple sources in a geospatial context is crucial for their decision making and JAGO and Esri UK figured out how to provide this capability, quickly, by using existing software as much as possible. They innovated, but, with the discipline not to reach too far.”
DataMan currently integrates over than 300 layers of data including information and intelligence from satellite and aerial reconnaissance, ground patrols and partners working in the same regions. Information that was previously held by external organisations in spread sheets – for example, lists of medical facilities in Afghanistan – can now be loaded once into DataMan, visualised in a geographic context and made accessible to all units and partners working in the vicinity.
“This significant award underlines both JAGO’s foresight in developing DataMan, and its achievement in bringing this new capability so quickly into theatre where it has been so well received,” commented Budgie Dhanda, general manager, Defence & National Security, Esri UK. “Esri UK is extremely proud to support JAGO, and see their investment in ArcGIS software being so successfully exploited to deliver DataMan, providing information superiority for our armed forces.”
