ABOUT NITF STANDARDS COMPLIANCE TESTING
The following topics are included on this page:
STANDARDS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS [back to top]
DoD CIO published DoD Instruction 8320.02, “Sharing Data, Information, and Information Technology (IT) Services in the Department of Defense”, Section 3.b states the following:
All DoD activities implement applicable standards and specifications as cited in the DoD IT Standards Registry (DISR) (accessible at https://gtg.csd.disa.mil), or any future DoD-designated registry for IT and data sharing standards.
MIL-STD-2500, “Department of Defense Interface Standard National Imagery Transmission Format Version 2.1”, Section 1.3 states the following:
This standard is applicable to DOD and other IC members. It is mandatory for all Secondary Imagery Dissemination Systems (SIDS) in accordance with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (ASD (C3I)) memorandum, Subject: National Imagery Transmission Format Standard (NITFS), 12 August 1991, and is applicable also to all types of primary imagery systems such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), archives, and libraries. New equipment and systems, those undergoing major modification, or those capable of rehabilitation, will conform to this standard.
BACKGROUND AND AUTHORITY [back to top]
JITC has been NGA’s Executive Test Agent for NITF standards compliance testing and registration issuance since 1995 (and developing the test program since 1991). This authority was authorized by the signed memo from Central Imagery Office, Subject “Executive Agent/Signatory for NITFS Certification,” on March 3rd, 1995 where Section 1 states the following:
The Standards Branch in the Central Imagery Office, Systems Technology and Standards Directorate hereby designates the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), as signatory to issue NITFS conformance certification letters and reports on behalf of the CIO. This authority to be exercised as part of the duties required of the JITC in its role as the Executive Agent for the NITFS Certification Test and Evaluation Program.
In 1998, NGA published the “NITFS Compliance and Interoperability Test and Evaluation Program Plan (N-0105)” describing processes and procedures for obtaining testing of imagery implementations for compliance with the NITFS where JITC is designated as the Executive Test Agent for NITFS.
In addition to rendering compliance testing, NGA sponsors JITC in provisioning the NSG community with technical support services and access to its test capabilities (i.e. test procedures, test software, test data) to aid GEOINT programs and GWG in the compliant development, interpretation, and implementation of GEOINT interoperability standards.
STANDARDS COMPLIANCE TESTING [back to top]
NITF standards compliance testing is the test and evaluation of data assets to produce and/or support still imagery products in compliance to community (i.e. DISR/ESB) and program specific structural (i.e. format metadata), semantic (i.e. descriptive metadata), and content (i.e. functional metadata) requirements intended to achieve interoperability between interfaces and across the IEA.
COMPLIANCE TESTING PROCESS [back to top]
NITFS compliance testing begins with the submission of a Compliance Test Request, available in Forms. This provides JITC the basic information necessary to begin coordinating testing with a program. The test process includes four stages with varying levels of duration depending on the program’s maturity and complexity; these are as such.
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STAGE
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OBJECTIVE
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DELIVERABLES
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1. Functional
Requirements
Analyses
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Analyze requirements documents (e.g. CONOPS, CPD, ISP) to determine format and content requirements per product.
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Requirements Analysis Results
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2. Design
Specification
Analyses
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Analyze the design specification(s) to verify compliance to community standards (e.g. MIL-STD-2500, STDI-0002, NGA.STND.0012) and program specific requirements (e.g. data, metadata, alternate formats).
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Specification Analysis Results
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3. Standards
Compliance
Assessments
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- For generate capable implementations assess the developmental samples against design specification to determine current state of compliance.
- For interpret capable implementation early assess of interface against the appropriate test suite of products to determine current state of compliance.
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Assessment Reports
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4. Standards
Compliance Tests
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- For generate capable implementations test the operational samples against design specification to determine final state of compliance.
- For interpret capable implementation test the proposed final releasable interface against the appropriate test suite of products to determine final state of compliance.
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Test Report & Registration
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The test is an official, for-the-record event resulting in a test report outlining the scope, methodology, limitations, analyses, and configurations. Reports will be submitted to NGA as the GEOINT Functional Manager per the signed memo from Central Imagery Office, Subject “Executive Agent/Signatory for NITFS Certification,” on March 3rd, 1995 where Section 2 states the following:
The JITC will coordinate with the Standards Branch, CIO on any controversial issues or significant unresolved anomalies discovered during testing prior to the publication of final test reports and issuance of certification letters. Copies of all certification letter and test reports will be furnished to the Standards Branch.
COMPLIANCE REGISTRATION [back to top]
A compliance registration (i.e. certification letters) for the tested configuration will be issued if the implementation is found to be compliant. An implementation has the greatest chance to achieve registration if the program engaged JITC early in the development process, and conducted periodic assessments throughout the development process. Registration certificates are posted on this site, located under the Registers menu.