Development of analytical plug-ins for ENSITE : Version 1.0

Abstract

To sustain itself as the world's premier land power, the U.S. Army needs the capability to support expeditionary forces by projecting a minimal basing footprint with reduced logistical burdens. Strategically sited contingency bases (CBs) allow the Army's expeditionary forces to rapidly respond throughout a joint area of operations. To help with this goal, the Army is funding work in the Engineer Site Identification for the Tactical Environment (ENSITE) program, which is dedicated to empowering military planners with the data and knowledge to site CB locations. ENSITE's core-software platform builds upon leading geospatial platforms already in use by the Army and is designed to offer an easy-to-use, customized set of workflows for CB planners. Within this platform are added software components (plug-ins) that add specific and powerful functionality and features for analyses, while minimizing the program's complexity to the end user. This report provides a snapshot of the ENSITE plug-in development process. Completed midway in the four-year ENSITE research effort, this report provides an overview of the initial process of developing 10 plug-ins and reflects on the way forward for the plug-in development process.