scope:

This document establishes the requirements for the Tactical Communications protocol 2 (TAC02), part of the National Imagery Transmission Format Standard (NITFS). National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) is a standard format for transmitting digital imagery and imagery-related products among members of the Intelligence Community (IC), and TAC02 is a protocol suite that may be used for that transmission. It includes requirements for Forward Error Correction (FEC), which is necessary to ensure interoperability and to promote commonality among subsystems that comply with NITFS.

Applicability. This standard is applicable to the IC and the Department of Defense (DOD). It is mandatory for all Secondary Imagery Dissemination Systems (SIDS) in accordance with the memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence ASD(C3I), Subject: National Imagery Transmission Format Standard (NITFS), 12 August 1991. This directive shall be implemented in accordance with JIEO Circular 9008, and MIL-HDBK-1300A. New equipment and systems, those undergoing major modification, or those capable of rehabilitation shall conform to this standard.