Program Notes
Written by /Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
As the Obama administration develops plans for stepped-up efforts in Afghanistan, one thing is certain: Warfighters in that country will benefit from enhanced C4 capabilities thanks to strategic communications infrastructure provided at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Headquarters in Kabul by the Product Manager, Defense Wide Transmission Systems (PM DWTS).
At ISAF headquarters, PM DWTS’ Afghanistan Team, led by Major Mark Henderson, transformed an area distribution node (ADN) into a full-blown tech control facility (TCF) that supports thousands of warfighters, while saving $820,000 out of a budget of $4.0 million in implementing the project.
Lieutenant Colonel Clyde Richards, the product manager, Defense Wide Transmission Systems, noted that the team was only given six months to complete the project, which started in March 2008 and was required by no later than the end of September.
“However, due to urgent warfighter requirements, the team was required to complete Phase 1 of the project—replacing the ADN outdated multiplexer with a modern Promina-series multiplexer and migrating all fiber optic cable and circuits with no loss of service—in only four months,” said Richards. “This part of the project alone would typically take five to seven months to achieve. Major Henderson did an exceptional job in rallying the team, encouraging them to go ‘outside the box’ to devise solutions.”
That out-of-the-box thinking led to the team utilizing a new split-design microwave radio system— with part of the radio on the tower and part in a shelter— that delivered superior functionality at 50 percent less cost than previous models available.
The team fielded, for the first time in the Army, KIV-7M communications security modules using a DS3 ultra-high-speed connection capable of transmitting data at rates of up to 45 Mbps—a configuration so new there was no complete or accurate tech manual for it.
In response, team members wrote updated loading and operation procedures working with the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), the Information Assurance Technical Assistance Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and KIV-7M manufacturer SafeNet, and then conducted training to teach the operators.
“These devices had never been tested in this configuration by JITC because they didn’t think anyone would use them the way we did,” said Henderson. “So we had to rapidly figure out how to make them work in this configuration and then write the procedures and teach our users.”
Henderson said that the team also worked together to overcome and correct numerous project hurdles at ISAF, including insufficient floor strength in the TCF, an inadequate heating, venting and air conditioning system, no lightning protection, improper grounding and insufficient power distribution, equipment failures and incorrect mail sorting.
The key to the projects, said Henderson, was to quickly get on the ground in Afghanistan and pull together all stakeholders to find out what capabilities they really needed. He assembled an integrated product team (IPT) spanning multiple commands, stakeholders and industry, including several signal units, Army Information Systems Engineering Command, U.S. Central Command and contracting partners DataPath, CSC and General Dynamics C4 Systems.
Once Henderson and the IPT got a handle on the requirements, he pushed PM DWTS’ Afghanistan Team to come up with innovative solutions.
“I had to adapt many of the things I’d been taught about acquisition and customize them to the mission, then teach myself how I could apply them to get things done quickly in the war zone,” said Henderson. “I had to stress to the team every day to think outside the box. If we can’t get cabling manufactured and delivered into theater on time, then why don’t we make it ourselves, right on the site—which we did.”
PM DWTS is part of the Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (DCATS) Project Office of the Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS).
Gary Winkler, who heads PEO EIS, was so impressed by the accomplishments of Henderson and PM DWTS’ Afghanistan team that he created an award, the first-ever PEO EIS Team Excellence Award. Henderson also was honored with the Army Signal Corps Regimental Association’s Bronze Order of Mercury last fall.
In addition, Colonel Jeff Mockensturm, project manager, DCATS, presented the Army Achievement Medal to Henderson in November. Mockensturm noted that the quick tempo of operations in theater has demanded that the Army acquisition community respond to the warfighter’s needs more quickly than traditional acquisition models allow.
“Teams like Mark Henderson’s show that our acquisition professionals can and do produce critically important capabilities in extremely short timelines,” Mockensturm said. “This quickly delivered, enhanced C4 capability provides greater warfighter situational awareness and supports a more robust communications infrastructure throughout Afghanistan.” ♦
