Transportation Intelligence Pilot Underway

With supporting warfighters as its top priority, U.S. Transportation Command launched the Transportation Intelligence Center Jan. 1 as a pilot program to streamline and consolidate multimodal intelligence production.

The TIC effort is the first of its kind to align existing pieces of transportation and logistical intelligence into one fully integrated, cross-functional intelligence center.  Previously, customers had to gather needed multimodal data via separate production requests and often piece the data together themselves.

 “The TIC combines intelligence analysis, assessment and production from the Joint Intelligence Operations Center-Transportation, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency into one multimodal picture of any transportation situation,” said Navy Capt. Daryl Hancock, USTRANSCOM Director of Intelligence.  “Other USTRANSCOM elements will also support the effort, such as the Joint Distribution Process Analysis Center.”

Transportation intelligence covers roads, railways, seaports, airfields, infrastructure accessibility, and multimodal throughput to support a full range of military and humanitarian relief planning, operations and policies.

Command and control of the TIC will fall under the existing J2/JIOC-TRANS structure in partnership with DIA and NGA, where customer requirements will flow into the TIC Integration Branch for validation and tasking.  The Integration Branch will exercise tasking authority and provide requirements management for multi-organizational, matrixed capability.

“The TIC adds no additional financial cost,” Hancock said.  “As resources are aligned within the enterprise, our customers should see improvements in products and analysis.”

Information and products will flow from the TIC to the customer through existing channels.  Future plans are in work to launch classified and unclassified web sites enabling customers at every level to request and receive products worldwide. 

The consolidation of efforts inherent in the TIC will reduce end user information wait time to days versus weeks, and in some cases months, while providing holistic products or assessments from the intelligence community.  

The TIC’s primary focus will stay on the Operation Enduring Freedom redeployment and retrograde mission throughout the pilot period.  However, , U.S. Africa Command staff already praised the TIC during recent Central African Republic crisis operations for providing timelier intelligence updates on airfields, roads and bridges that proved critical to successful operations.

The TIC’s pilot period will run throughout 2014.  A concurrent mission analysis will be conducted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Intelligence Directorate in the May timeframe.