The 4D/RCS architecture provides a reference model for military unmanned vehicles on how their software components should be identified and organized. It defines ways of interacting to ensure that missions, especially those involving unknown or hostile environments, can be analyzed, decomposed, distributed, planned, and executed intelligently, effectively, efficiently and in coordination. To achieve this, the 4D/RCS reference model provides well defined and highly coordinated sensory processing, world modeling, knowledge management, cost/benefit analysis, behavior generation, and messaging functions, as well as the associated interfaces. The 4D/RCS architecture is based on scientific principles and is consistent with military hierarchical command doctrine.

The 4D/RCS reference model architecture is naturally adaptable to the DoD/Army standards in a combined domain of vehicle systems, combat support, and software engineering. 4D/RCS provides an architectural framework to facilitate component and interface standards development, including command and control, sensors, communication, mapping, operating environments, safety, security, software engineering, user interface, data interchange, and graphics. As such, the 4D/RCS reference model architecture forms a framework for software engineering standards and guidelines.