The future of information operations for airborne reconnaissance SIGINT: the Joint Interoperable Operator Network (JION)

The Joint Interoperable Operator Network (JION) will be a subset of the global signals intelligence (SIGINT) enterprise. It will concurrently serve warfighters, intelligence producers, and decision-makers at various echelons and locations. The goal of JION is to create a global airborne SIGINT network that includes all new generation and existing airborne SIGINT systems. It will enable connectivity and interoperability among all components of the airborne SIGINT reconnaissance system, and will exchange services with other tactical and national SIGINT networks, IMINT networks, and MASINT systems. The JION effort was initiated in response to the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Steering Committee (DARSC) direction to the Services to modernize all airborne SIGINT systems, including ground stations and airborne operator positions, to make them compatible with the Joint Airborne SIGINT Architecture (JASA) and interoperable. JION will gradually replace legacy stand-alone capabilities with connected and interoperable capabilities. JION will network a mix of airborne reconnaissance SIGINT sensors, ground/surface stations, and associated collection communications to link local and distant SIGINT assets into a distributed SIGINT infrastructure. This enterprise will facilitate the system functions of collection tasking, collection management, collection, processing, exploitation, and timely SIGINT results dissemination. JION will provide compatible SIGINT inputs to the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) for multi-intelligence (Multi-INT) production, and be able to receive cueing and tip-offs from IMINT and MASINT activities. JION will contribute to the fundamental foundation that enables the four key thrusts of Joint Vision 2010 and the Unified Cryptologic Architecture (UCA).