Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
L-3 Linkabit has successfully completed the integration and testing of a wideband- beyond-line-of-sight (WB-BLOS) capability in Army Brigade Combat Team vehicles intended for deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom. This resulting deployment will enable more Army units to have a robust, secure communications system in the field and supplies new and enhanced WB-BLOS and missioncritical data capabilities to Army units. The initiative used mature L-3 products and technology developed for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical program, including the Network Centric Waveform, MPM-1000 IP modem and FSS-4180-LP SATCOM antenna. This transit case-based solution successfully coupled L-3’s hardware with COMSEC and other baseband equipment to provide a turn-key WB-BLOS subsystem solution. L-3 Linkabit provides turn-key SATCOM on-the-move solutions that enable mobile and halted forces to collaborate, access GIG resources and exchange voice, data and video in a tactical environment. Linkabit developed the MPM-1000 modem product family, which when combined with an antenna and tracking system provides an off-the-shelf SATCOM on-themove solution for both military and commercial applications.
Bill Clark:
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Agreement Develops Multi-touch Technology for the Warfighter
The Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) recently signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Microsoft to share research in support of developing multi-touch technology for the warfighter. The CRADA with the CERDEC Command and Control Directorate is only the second joint research project Microsoft has throughout the Department of Defense. The multi-touch portion of the CRADA’s tasks will be executed by the Command and Control Multi-touch Enabled Technology (COMET) team, which is researching the applicability of multi-touch technologies to command and control systems. Traditional collaboration tools such as paper maps, grease pens, acetate layers and sand tables are ineffective at recording, saving and transmitting information and are incapable of providing automated assistance or analysis. The electronic maps can respond in ways that paper cannot: Commanders can zoom in for additional detail, or change from raster to vector maps. Multiple users can simultaneously contribute to group activities such as war gaming, rehearsal or after-action reviews.
Edric Thompson:
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C2 Capability Provides Integrated View of Incidents
SAIC has developed a service-oriented architecture (SOA)-based C2 capability to implement an overarching monitoring and control system for catastrophic threats, attacks and incidents. The solution can be adapted for any chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive or cyberincident. SAIC’s net-centric, SOA-based C2 capability fuses data from information and sensor systems, accelerates and automates information analysis and correlation, and supports rapid decision-making. The solution can provide an integrated picture of the health, status and security posture of domestic and Global Information Grid infrastructure, consolidating a common operation picture and situational awareness. With this solution, SAIC has implemented an open, event-driven architecture to deal with operations and C2 at cyberspeed. It includes new search, recognition, retrieval and correlation capabilities to increase information aggregation and knowledge. SAIC used leading-edge modeling and simulation technology to determine time frames for all steps and actions involving human in the loop, information feeds, data access, correlation and patterning, comparable analysis, option identification, and implementation of rapid spirals and validation.
Robert Hatcher:
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Contract Supports Multinational Information Sharing
EDS, an HP company, has been awarded a potential five-year, $34 million contract renewal by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to continue supporting its Multinational Information Sharing (MNIS) program. Under the contract, EDS, through its teaming partner, Harris Information Technology Corp. (HITS), will provide systems engineering and technical assistance support to enhance the mission capabilities and effectiveness of the MNIS Program Management Office. The mission of DISA’s MNIS program is to ensure joint forces share a common operational picture and contribute to enhanced intelligence, informed decision-making and mission success. The MNIS program facilitates the sharing of encrypted information in a single joint environment to provide effective communication and promote teamwork among Department of Defense components, combatant commands and eligible foreign nations. This contract was awarded under the ENCORE II contract vehicle and is for one year with four one-year options. EDS and HITS will provide systems engineering, analytical services and thought leadership in support of MNIS’ efforts to ensure seamless information sharing among U.S. forces with their allied and coalition partners for military operations planning purposes.
Ericka Floyd:
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Multiservice Gateway Simplifies Network Convergence
Juniper Networks has introduced a series of new applications and services that will enable customers to deliver voice, video and other multimedia services with exceptional efficiency, reduced costs and increased scale and reliability. Building on the Intelligent Services Edge portfolio, these new features simplify networks and facilitate convergence for enterprises, government agencies and service providers by fully integrating key service delivery and performance assurance functions directly within the routing platforms and IP network infrastructure. Additionally, Juniper is delivering hardware and software features that reduce costs by enabling customers to leverage investments in legacy voice and data networking equipment while they migrate to nextgeneration IP transport networks and services. The Integrated Multiservice Gateway solution tightly integrates standards-based session border control signaling and media gateway functions with sophisticated, highperformance routing and comprehensive security features that include intrusion prevention software, IPsec and firewall services.
Jim Kelly:
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ISR Interoperability Exercise Includes 3G Wireless Network
Empire Challenge, the joint/coalition ISR interoperability exercise, this year included QuicLINK, the 3G tactical network developed by Ericsson Federal Inc. (EFI) at both China Lake Naval Air and Weapons Center, Calif., and Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. QuicLINK provides all of the components for a 3G wireless network to deliver high-speed voice, video and data, and can be deployed in support of multi-domain tactical environments. It was to be deployed at the tactical operations center, aboard aircraft, watercraft and with tactical operations vehicles. EFI deployed a tactical network solution that includes the QuicLINK 3G cellular broadband network and IP multimedia services for collaboration between operators on the network, while providing tactical data to exercise wide area networks. The 3G network is essential for collecting and distributing full motion video, imagery and data during the exercise. Through the integration of IP multimedia services into a situational awareness environment, EFI can provide location knowledge of tactical users, voice, text chat, video calling and map-based white board collaboration for communications between the tactical edge and the tactical operations centers.
Kristen Oelke:
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Marine Operations Centers Add Internet-like Capabilities
General Dynamics C4 Systems has been awarded $21 million to add Internet-like capabilities to the Marine Corps’ Combat Operations Centers (COCs), the focal point of decision-making for deployed Marine commanders and their staffs. Through this effort, General Dynamics will upgrade the COCs’ electronic systems to increase Marines’ situational awareness and informationsharing abilities, and improve network connectivity across the tactical battlespace. The contract being modified was awarded in 2002; the total value to date is $643 million. Identified as the COC Model G, the new system will facilitate sharing of mission rehearsal and execution information among other Marine Corps Combat Operations Centers and joint forces partners. The system will enable services such as electronic chat, e-mail and VoIP communications. General Dynamics will also migrate existing hardware-based command and control, tactical data systems and other applications to software-driven services using the Marine Corps’ service-oriented infrastructure. The COC Model G is also part of the Marine Corps initiative to become compliant with the Department of Defense’s Net-Enabled Command Capability, which enables Internet-like access to joint tactical networks.
Optimization Solution Speeds SATCOM Delivery
Citrix Systems’ Government Systems team has partnered with TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) on its SIPR/NIPR Access Point (SNAP) program for the Army. Specifically, Citrix WANScaler technologies are integrated into TCS SNAP network packages that support ongoing military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The Army Project Manager for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Commercial Satellite Terminal Program is funding these procurements through the Army’s $5 billion World-Wide Satellite Systems contract vehicle, for which TCS is a prime contractor. The SNAP delivery order includes options for approximately 1,500 terminals and supporting equipment to be deployed in various sizes and configurations over the next few years, along with up to 30 field support personnel. Citrix WANScaler, a branch optimization solution that accelerates application delivery to globally distributed users, supports Space Communication Protocol Standards and uses flow control capabilities to seamlessly deliver data and applications, eliminating the latency issues that have plagued satellite communications in the past and enhances the delivery of the network to the front lines. These improved satellite communications capabilities also help the Army meet one of the goals in its CIO/G-6 500-day plan—the delivery of seamless LandWarNet to soldiers.
Naomi Harker: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
