A Reference Architecture For Network-Centric Information Systems

This paper presents the C2 Enterprise Reference Architecture (C2ERA), which is a new technical concept of operations for building information systems better suited to the NCW environment. The C2ERA is the technical architecture mandated by the Designated Acquisition Commander for C4ISR Enterprise Integration in the U.S. Air Force. The C2ERA contains two key ideas. Related activities and functions are gathered into a C2 Node, with a designated node manager responsible for delivering and sustaining an integrated capability to the user community. The development of mission functionality is separated from the system infrastructure. This infrastructure (and the responsibility for it) is divided into one part which must be the same across the enterprise, called the Common Integrated Infrastructure, and another part which may vary between C2 Nodes, called the node platforms.