GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: THE WAY AHEAD 
"Ostendamus Viam - We Show The Way" 
David G. McKellar 
Department of National Defence 
Directorate of Geographic Operations 
National Defence Headquarters 
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A OK2 
Telephone: (613) 995-4239 
Fax: (613) 996-3328 
Abstract 
In recent years significant progress has been made in standardization and 
interoperability with respect to geospatial data. Along with this progress has come 
a corresponding increase in requirements from all military environments. There is now 
a biennial effort underway within NATO to solicit user requirements for geospatial 
data. 
Due to the success in the acceptance of the DIGEST standard at national, regional and 
international levels, it is now possible to develop a set of common software tools 
(DIGEST View) based on standard open system Application Programmers Interfaces 
(APIs). This tool box of public domain source code will be available to users and 
integrators to develop their applications. 
In order to ensure that geospatial data is available when required, the allied military 
geographic agencies have undertaken a massive production programme known as 
Vector Smart Map (VMap) at various levels of resolution to support, for example, a 
stated NATO requirement for a Background Display Dataset (BDD). 
An integral aspect of this standardization and associated geospatial data production 
is a healthy research and development effort. Ongoing work is required in the area 
of data fusion, standards, interoperability and simulation. 
Success will only be achieved through ongoing efforts to harmonize standards efforts 
for geospatial data, and by forming strategic partnerships with industry and academia. 
492 
I1 
J, 
été 
1"j 
pre 
di 
tie 
can 
mis 
bes 
niv 
au 
d'a 
ser 
int 
app 
acc 
géo 
pro 
dif 
ait 
d'a 
de 
et . 
qui 
l'i: 
met! 
1 "1. 
SUCI: 
et «