scope:

PURPOSE

This Directive:

Establishes policy for the Signature Support Mission (SSM) within the Department of Defense pursuant to Reference (a).

Supports the Transformation of the Force in accordance with References (b) through (d); "The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States: Transformation through Integration and Innovation" (Reference (e); and the "Quadrennial Defense Review Report" (Reference (f)) by standardizing the signatures collection, processing, development, storage, maintenance, and dissemination processes to achieve the highest degree of efficiency and effectiveness in response to validated DoD requirements.

Assigns responsibilities for the oversight, management, and execution of the DoD SSM as defined within this Directive.

Establishes and promotes DoD SSM objectives:

To provide precise, timely, high quality standardized signature data that allows applications to accurately identify equipment, activities, individuals, and events. Signature data must meet universal data tagging standards and use machine-understandable information templates to be effective in dynamic operational environments and facilitate sensor-to-shooter connections.

To maintain cognizance of advanced and emerging signature-related technologies for DoD system acquisitions and their associated signature content and fidelity, as well as to retain currency with state-of-the-art signature capabilities-based sensing.

Establishes a Senior Signature Management Forum (SSMF), comprised of general or flag officer (G/FO), Senior Executive Service (SES), or equivalent representatives, that provides policy, guidance, and priorities to the SSM.

APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE

This Directive:

Applies to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments (including the Coast Guard at all times, including when it is a Service in the Department of Homeland Security by agreement with that Department), the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities in the Department of Defense (hereafter referred to collectively as the "DoD Components").

Applies to signatures of all equipment, activities, and events regardless of acquisition category to include, but not limited to, signatures utilized for intelligence, targeting, combat identification (CID), Blue Force tracking (BFT) and other tracks, smart munitions, training, weapons systems, and weapons system development. This Directive is not applicable to signatures as defined by the DoD Privacy Program per DoD Directive 5400.11 (Reference (g)).