• built-in extensibility of the standard. Built-in extensibility allowed the standards to later include data􀀁 from technologies that had not yet matured when the standard was originally designed. For example,􀀁 new message segments were added to the STANAG 4􀀗07 standard to accommodate data from spacebased radars.

• formal, transparent, and relatively open processes for extending and amending the standard. The􀀁 standards have clear and open processes for amendments or additions. For example, the STANAG 4􀀗07􀀁 standard documents describe how to include new capabilities, such as radar modes, platform types, or􀀁 data processing techniques. This process is open to any national representative and simply requires formally proposing a change to the STANAG 4􀀗07 custodial support team.

• the use of operational feedback in the design and amendment of the standard. Feedback from realworld operations drove evolution of the standards. For example, platform- and service-specific implementations of the Link 16 message standard led to communication problems during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. Because of this experience, ambiguity in the Link 16 message standard implementation guidance􀀁 was removed.

• access to standardized data that allows a community of active and engaged users and suppliers􀀁 to evolve capabilities rapidly. For example, the STANAG 4607 user community, aided by the Atlantis GMTI data repository, developed several applications for the new operational domain of counterimprovised explosive devices. These applications included algorithms for group tracking, forensic backtracking, meeting detection, route avoidance, anomaly detection, and road and traffic detections.