Written by Harrison Donnelly
MIT 2011 Volume: 15 Issue: 11 (December)
With their innovative approach to field-testing new C4 systems in combination with others in real-world conditions, the Army’s semiannual Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) tests at Fort Bliss, Texas, and the White Sands Missile Range, N.M., have attracted intense industry interest and a good measure of media attention. But what has been less emphasized is the fact that the NIE is part of a larger initiative, known as the Agile Process, by which the Army is seeking to transform its current procurement methods.
The goal of the Agile Process is to make the Army’s traditionally ponderous procurement system more able to respond to change, whether in terms of new information technology or in the service’s operational missions or force structure.
As a reflection of the potential importance of the change and the level of interest, the Army recently announced its second NIE/Agile Process industry day, to be held at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Md., in early 2012. Among other things, participants will get a chance to see the laboratories created at APG to support the new process, which will both help the Army decide which products to select and do needed integration work before the products are tested in the New Mexico desert.
The basic idea behind Agile is that the previous approach to acquiring, testing and deploying network systems, which were fielded independently and on their own timelines, has not been responsive enough to keep up with the rapid emergence of new network technologies. Instead, the Army wants to start deploying capabilities that are integrated from the tactical operations center to the soldier, and are fielded in two-year increments closely tied to cycle of brigade training, equipping and deployment.
To enable forces in the field to benefit from the latest technology, the new system will focus acquisition efforts on rapidly implementing commercial and government technologies to establish a network baseline, and then build from that. I think it’s on the right track. ♦
 Harrison Donnelly, Editor This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 301.670.5700 x114 |
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