Management of C2 data standards with modular OWL ontologies

Standard information exchange data models (IEDMs) – such as JC3IEDM, MSDL, NIEM, and C2Core – often are expressed as XML schema. This choice of model representation comes with the benefits of a widely adopted format and a well-supported XML toolset. Although XML, as a technology, has been an enabler in achieving interoperability among C4I and M&S systems, several key issues persist. Lacking formalised semantic specifications, systems utilising multiple IEDMs face difficult model mapping and translation tasks. As IEDM user-bases grow, so do maintainability and scalability challenges. Despite numerous IEDM alignment efforts, no maintainable process has emerged. This paper describes a model management methodology that endorses the use of the Web Ontology Language (OWL) for model representation and embraces Semantic Web best practices. Not only can the ‘mappability’ between various models be expressed using OWL, but also multiple standards can be aligned to build upon each other, providing the basis for model execution.