Primary components of the network include Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T), elements of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), the Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A), Joint Battle Command Platform (JBCP), and the soldier-worn Nett Warrior capability.
A 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division soldier uses the Joint Capabilities Release of Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking during the Army’s Network Integration Evaluation 12.1. JCR provides a “bridge” to Joint Battle Command-Platform, which will bring features such as detailed touch-to-zoom maps and drag-and-drop icons as well as a new level of situational awareness for dismounted soldiers. U.S. Army photo by Claire Schwerin, PEO C3T
This small network portfolio also highlights the dynamic nature of service modernization, in the fact that the February 2012 Posture Statement identifies the JTRS, but less than half a year later the Joint Program Executive Office for JTRS was wrapping up its subordinate program activities and transferring the hardware programs, including the elements of the Army’s network, back to the individual services.
The past five years have seen a significant evolution in the Army’s exploration of its network capabilities. Specifically, with the demise of the FCS program, the Army’s network activities evolved through a range of organizational and evaluation constructs, including Early- Brigade Combat Team experimentation by the Army Evaluation Task Force (AETF) in 2007-2008 and Early-Infantry Brigade Combat Team (E-IBCT) Limited User Testing by 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division (2/1 AD) in 2010. Early June 2011 witnessed a new era of network modernization with Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 11.2. The process has evolved to include two annual NIE events; a smaller “dot one” event at the beginning of each fiscal year and a much larger brigade-sized “dot two” event the following spring. So it was that the results of the June 2011 NIE 11.2, coupled with the increasing success of the subsequent NIE 12.1 in the fall of 2011, set the stage for a capstone NIE 12.2 event in May-June of 2012.
The NIEs evolved in parallel with a “Capability Set” fielding concept, in which NIE testing would validate sequential sets of capabilities that will then be fielded to some number of Army Brigade Combat Teams beginning in the next fiscal year.
Held at Fort Bliss, Texas, and nearby White Sands Missile Range, N.M., NIE 12.2 explored both formal testing for Systems Under Test (SUTs) and informal assessments for 37 Systems Under Evaluation (SUEs).
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, integrate NETT Warrior into their training during the Network Integration Evaluation 13.1 at Dona Ana Range, N.M. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Deanna Bague
The Army’s network was clearly evident in the NIE 12.2 SUTs, which included: WIN-T Increment 2, which underwent its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation during the NIE; Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) HMS (handheld, manpack, small form factor) two-channel manpack radio; and the JTRS Joint Enterprise Network Manager (JENM).
The 37 SUEs were grouped into the broad categories of aerial tier; soldier connectivity; network operations; mission command and ISR; multichannel radio; non-network assets; company command post elements; cross domain solutions; tactical routers; operational energy; and other areas.
The NIE 12.2 event validated the network architecture for Capability Set 13 (CS 13), the Army’s first fully integrated package of radios, satellite systems, software applications, smartphone-like devices and other network components that provide integrated connectivity from the static Tactical Operations Center to the commander on-the-move to the dismounted soldier.
October 2012 witnessed the initial fielding of CS 13 to two Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division; one at Fort Drum, N.Y., and one at Fort Polk, La.