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Future Conflicts Demand Flexible and Mobile Command Posts

Friday, March 1st, 2024

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Army leaders understand that preparing for large scale combat operations will require commanders to lead on the move with the ability to disperse at a moment’s notice.

Leaders also understand that one size will not fit all for command posts under this new paradigm.

At the Army’s Network Technical Exchange Meeting (TEM) in December 2023 in Savannah, Georgia, a panel discussion on command post modernization unveiled plans for CPI2 Next, which is the latest in a series of efforts to modernize existing vehicle-based Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) units and provide on-the-move command and control in anticipation of future combat scenarios.

The CPI2 program is integrating network and communications technologies into a variety of vehicle platforms, then fielding them incrementally to units for experimentation and feedback, which will inform future iterations.

While current iterations of integrated command post platforms have proved useful in the field during unit experimentation, a Limited User Test (LUT) with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division (1-2) at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, conducted this past summer indicated a need for a more adaptable, configurable command post with greater disbursement capability. From this feedback, project managers identified two primary concerns regarding the use of existing Command Post Support Vehicles: a lack of integrated power and insufficient wireless network configuration.

“We have to be able to disperse in a moment’s notice, and anything requiring cables or wires that connect to immobile objects will put Soldiers in harm’s way,” said Lt. Col. Herb Gamble, product manager for CPI2.

To address these concerns, panelists discussed solutions currently identified and solutions they will be seeking from industry partners to meet the Army’s goal for a modular, scalable and survivable command post to support Army of 2030.

Beginning in March, CPI2 program integration teams will begin installing generators onto 1-2 SBCT CPI2-equipped vehicle platforms. These power sources will replace the micro grid initially tested as part of the LUT, which still required the vehicles to be tethered to a power source.

“These generators will open up the option for more rapid displacement and emplacement of mobile command posts each time the tactical operations center jumps to another location within the operational environment,” Gamble said.

Sometime this summer, these power-integrated platforms will accompany the unit to their National Training Center rotation, prior to deploying.

“This will be the first time on-the-move command post capabilities will be part of a combined training center rotation,” Gamble said.

To address the wireless capabilities needed for on-the-move missions, the Army will generate a Request for Information to industry to enhance or replace the current onboard WiFi, which works well in line-of-sight situations but will require more robust capabilities to meet Army command post directive to rapidly move and halt in just minutes.

At the same time, the program continues to innovate, and is currently conducting a pilot that integrates command post capabilities into a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle — this time including the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System to enhance fire support missions on the move.

“We conducted an exercise with the Army’s Test Command this past fall to determine the ability of forward observers to initiate a call for fires missions to the command post headquarters,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Judy, product manager for Network Integration and Modernization. “In the lab we validated we can do digital calls for fire on a Secure But Unclassified – Encrypted network, then verified those results in the field using real Soldiers and equipment.”

As the program shifts to its next iteration, called CPI2 Next, it will focus on including more flexible integrated command post capabilities.

“Commanders want to be able to have the modularity and the ability to change and adapt based on their mission set,” Gamble said. “No command post will conduct operations the same way, because based on your mission set and where you’re located, you’re going to want customized command post capabilities.”

Providing units with modular A-kits for their vehicles and mission-tailored B-kits for the Soldiers themselves will allow for optimal functionality without sacrificing ability to disperse. These kits contain communications devices that will be swapped out according to mission objectives, making them ideal for widespread dispersal.

“All mobile command post development should incorporate both new and existing technologies, including improved on-the move and voice command capabilities, which allows project managers to update existing units without fully sunsetting their equipment, making it a favorable both practically and fiscally,” Judy said.

The Army will continue to seek innovative solutions to address these and other mobile and flexible command post requirements via requests for information this fiscal year, including the potential for interoperability with Mission Partner Environment services in anticipation of combat operations with allies and partners.

“Make sure you give us your biggest and brightest ideas,” Gamble said to industry TEM 11 attendees. “We owe it to our Soldiers in arms.”

By Mollie Ryan, PEO C3T Public Affairs

Army Tests New Rifle, Automatic Rifle in Extreme Weather

Wednesday, February 28th, 2024

FORT MOORE, Georgia – Soldiers at the Cold Regions Test Center in Fort Greely, Alaska, where temperatures dipped to 35 degrees below zero last month, tested the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) XM7 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle in various mission-oriented tasks under conditions one might experience in the Arctic.

Testing began in earnest in late January after a week of foundational new equipment training to familiarize the Soldiers with the weapons, which will be fielded, beginning this year, to members of the Close Combat Force, which includes infantry Soldiers, cavalry scouts, combat engineers, forward observers and combat medics.

The NGSW system includes the two weapons, an advanced fire control and a 6.8 mm family of ammunition.

The NGSW team, which comprises the Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional Team (SL CFT), Program Executive Office Soldier, Joint Program Executive Office Armaments & Ammunition and industry partners, worked with a team from the Army Test and Evaluation Command to see how the extreme cold might affect the performance of the weapons, the ammunition, the fire control and power supplies.

Testing wrapped up Feb. 9, and results will be made available to Army senior leaders soon.

The process of developing and fielding transformational capabilities is no longer linear, said Brig. Gen. Monté Rone, director of the SL CFT. A platoon within the 101st Airborne Division completed a limited user test in November 2023 to assess the capabilities and limitations of the NGSW system of systems.

“Once upon a time, we developed, tested and fielded capabilities in that order, and in doing so, sometimes we gave Soldiers what we thought they needed and not necessarily what they wanted,” said Rone, who also serves as the Commandant of the Infantry School. “We do things differently now, keeping Soldiers engaged in every step of the process in a variety of Soldier touchpoints, so we will give them the weapons they need to be more lethal and more survivable on the battlefield.”

Weather testing events also give developers insights into how atmospheric conditions affect the Soldiers using the weapons.

“Extreme cold can affect the weapon’s functionality, of course, but it also hinders a Soldier’s movement and mobility,” said Maj. Brandon Davis, a member of the SL CFT operations team at Fort Moore. “So which sling does he prefer in these conditions? Can he or she effectively manipulate the widgets on the weapon wearing gloves? We’re getting after every aspect of how the NGSW impacts lethality and mobility under extreme conditions.”

The Army has scheduled NGSW testing in extreme heat and humidity for later this year.

– Army Futures Command PAO

Persistent Experimentation: PC-C4 Transforms ‘How We Fight’

Monday, February 26th, 2024

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Following months of preparation, the U.S. Army is ready to experiment with groundbreaking conc

epts and cutting-edge technologies at Project Convergence Capstone 4. The experiment will take place during the coming months at locations around the West Coast.

Hosted by Army Futures Command and the U.S. Army, PC-C4 is a joint and multinational event that marks a significant milestone as the largest Project Convergence experiment to date. The experiment aims to impart crucial insights on joint service emerging and transforming technologies, future concepts and future formations. Furthermore, it seeks to enhance collaboration among joint and allied partnerships by facilitating cross-domain military operations and unified strategic approaches.

This iteration of PC-C4 is informed by more than a year of persistent experimentation in locations around the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

“Army Futures Command has initiated the concept of persistent experimentation,” said Douglas Fletcher, chief of staff for the Joint Modernization Command. “It is a continuous campaign, not just in one year, but over multiple years, and then pointed at the future.”

The past year of persistent experimentation took place during various military exercises throughout the Pacific and Europe, and included both real-world scenarios and training missions. These exercises strategically integrated new war-winning capabilities that are now set to play a pivotal role in PC-C4.

The concept of persistent experimentation is the deliberate insertion of future capabilities and prototypes into ongoing training missions, serving as learning opportunities for their integration into operational forces. The objective of this approach is to construct a roadmap of experimental capabilities, refining and enhancing these experiments at each turn.

The continuous experimentation provides invaluable lessons and perspectives, informing future iterations of Project Convergence Capstones and propelling Army transformation toward delivering the Army of 2030 and envisioning the Army of 2040, said U.S. Army Col. Zachary Miller, JMC commander and the PC-C4 deputy director.

“We’ve made some important advances in the past year as we experimented with Joint force and multinational transformation around the globe, including the Philippines, Alaska, Germany and Poland,” Miller said. “But the most important thing we did during those experiments was lay the groundwork for what we want to learn and accomplish at Project Convergence Capstone 4. We are now well prepared to make progress on how we fight in areas like long-range precision fires, integrated air missile defense, cyber, space and human-machine integration.”

In the first Project Convergence Capstone of 2020, participation was limited to the U.S. Army. Subsequent iterations in 2021 and 2022 witnessed a progressive expansion, welcoming multinational allies and Joint forces to the experiment. Now, with PC-C4, this iteration is hosting the largest-ever involvement of multinational allies and partners to date with militaries from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Japan.

“As we look to how we will fight in the future, should we be called upon, it will take all the services, and it will take national partners in the theater to help us win,” Fletcher said.

The focal point of the PC-C4 experimentation will revolve around the domains of deep sensing, integrating fires, including offensive capabilities like counter-strike capabilities and contested logistics within a maritime setting.

“The focus of these experiments isn’t necessarily new,” Fletcher said. “But we are able to test them in a much more meaningful way in this environment.”

PC-C4 holds the promise of offering profound insights into the future of warfare and the chance to explore emerging capabilities across air, land, space and maritime components. Furthermore, the outcomes of these experiments serve as essential data for informing adjustments in doctrine, organizational structures, training protocols, leadership development initiatives, material acquisitions and personnel strategies.

By SPC Hunter Grice, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

US Army Holds EW Warfighters Forum

Sunday, February 25th, 2024

Last week leaders from across the Cyber, Signal and Intelligence communities participated in the EW Warfighters Forum, at NSA-Georgia, located at Ft Eisenhower.

The event focused on changing Army culture and finding novel solutions to technologically evolve our warfighters. Discussions focused on emerging threats, current and future capabilities and fielding requirements for the Army of 2030.

Record-Breaking Army Astronaut Receives Rare Qualification Device

Sunday, February 25th, 2024

WASHINGTON — Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth awarded Col. Frank Rubio the Army Astronaut Device during a pinning ceremony at the Pentagon today.

Rubio spent 371 days aboard the International Space Station from 2022-2023 breaking the record for the longest spaceflight for an American astronaut.

“Col. Rubio, you are a stellar example of the Army’s core values and what it means to lead a life of service,” Wormuth said. “You inspired audiences around the world as you orbited the Earth for 371 days, and now, back on Earth, you continue to inspire others as you share your experience with the public.”

The Army awards the astronaut device to personnel who complete at least one operational mission in space. With the award, Rubio joins Col. Anne McClain and Col. Andrew Morgan as the only active-duty Soldiers authorized to wear the device.

Army astronauts choose which specialty badge the device is placed on for their uniform. Rubio will wear his on his senior aviator badge.

A former UH-60 Black Hawk pilot, Rubio flew more than 600 combat flight hours during several overseas deployments. He then transitioned to the medical field as a family physician and flight surgeon before being selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017.

He served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 68 and 69, supporting numerous research projects including particle vibration experiments, biological testing and 3D tissue printing while also performing three spacewalks outside of the station.

“What an incredible honor it is to represent the Army,” Rubio said. “And honestly, the biggest honor for me out of this badge is the fact that to me it’s the ultimate team badge. You absolutely cannot get to space on your own. It takes a team of thousands to get you to space.”

Rubio launched into space Sept. 21, 2022 aboard a Russin Soyuz spacecraft alongside cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. The crew’s initial six-month mission was pushed into a year-long stay following a space debris strike that caused their return capsule to lose all its coolant.

The trio logged more than 157 million miles during the mission and circled the globe nearly 6,000 times until finally returning to earth Sept. 27, 2023.

Back home, Rubio plans to continue working with NASA as they further their mission and he hopes to eventually return to space one day.

“There [are] few things where you can say ‘my job represents humanity,’ and that is a powerful thing to be a part of,” he said. “It’s just such an incredible experience to be able to inspire the next generation, contribute to science, technologies that we’re developing that [are] going to help humanity in ways that we probably can’t imagine right now.”

The Army has worked closely with NASA to advance space exploration since the beginning of the U.S. space program, and that partnership has produced 19 Army astronauts.

“These uniquely skilled and extremely qualified people represent the very best and most talented officers and warrant officers from within the Army,” Wormuth said. “As we humans explore further into space, and NASA returns to the moon and sets its sights beyond to Mars, the Army will continue to play an important role in the exploration of space long into the future. And we will build on the research that Col. Rubio did on the International Space Station for 371 record-setting days.”

Story by Christopher Hurd, Army News Service

Photos by SFC Nicole Mejia and Deonte Rowell

Symposium Brings New Technology, Ways to Fight to I Corps

Thursday, February 22nd, 2024

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Service members, tech industry professionals and academia gathered together at JBLM’s American Lake Conference Center for the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association’s second annual Enabling Distributed C2 Symposium from Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2024.

“One of the things that we wanted to do is provide a venue and event that would bring together industry, the military and academia to hear the challenges that leadership in the military has that we can help solve,” said Dave Stookey, treasurer of the AFCEA Northwest Chapter. “The Army and Air Force communicate what problems they’re having, especially in the INDOPACOM area, and then industry and academia have a better idea of what they’re asking for and how we can bring solutions. There are companies who have solved some of the same issues that maybe the Army or the Air Force could consider putting into use.”

At the forefront of the conference was a discussion about how technological innovation helps commanders attain better command and control while operating in the Indo-Pacific theater.

“One thing that we’re finding is that as technology improves, commanders want better visibility into what’s happening, better situational awareness and better information,” said Stookey. “Better technology enables the distributed C2 to get the right information to the right people in austere or challenged environments.”

Col. Rett Burroughs, the First Corps chief information operations officer (G6), elaborated on how better technology and data collection enable commanders to make better, informed decisions.

“Commanders have to know the data, they have to understand what they need and what’s missing from their requirements to make an informed decision,” said Burroughs. “Maybe you’re wearing a parachute and you and I are going to jump out of this airplane in 15 hours. We want to get an enemy read because they’re not going to wait till we land to start shooting at us. Technology has the ability to help us get the information that we need to make informed decisions, faster.”

Stookey elaborated on new strides the technology industry is making to control the amount and relevance of information commanders have access to.

“If you’re down range and you want information, you’re trying to pull the whole information search and that’s wrong,” he said. “What industry is doing is refining how you do a search when you’re at the edge. And then you do a query and only pull back what you need.”

Technology enabling greater command and control also helps mitigate the “tyranny of distance,” one of the most significant challenges I Corps faces operating in the Pacific.

“The tyranny of distance is always uppermost in my mind,” said Burroughs. “Because how am I going to get comms all the way to Australia and then to Thailand? We can provide at least a minimum of voice so Lt. Gen. Brunson can talk to the 7th Infantry Division commander who may be in Chitose, Japan. But we’re also working on building a better data infrastructure as well.”

Stookey talked about one of the ways the industry is helping I Corps overcome this obstacle.

“One of the areas industry is doing a lot is taking the cloud across the ocean,” said Stookey. “If you’re connected and you’re in the United States, that works great. But when you’re 6,000 miles away or in a country that doesn’t have the greatest fiber connection, what do you do? What the industry is doing is they’re putting that cloud computing in a box that can be the same size as a roll luggage. You can take it with you and then all you have to transact with the cloud is the minimum amount of data you need.”

With the amount of data commanders have access to and the speed at which they can get it, commanders can make better decisions faster.

“… Commanders need to be able to hear the confidence in a subordinate voice to know that they truly understand the task, mission, purpose, and the intent,” said Burroughs. “And if he can hear that and then free up his commanders to fight, then we’ve achieved success.”

By SGT Keaton Habeck

C5ISR Center Modernizes Army’s Countermine Mission at Sandhills Project

Wednesday, February 21st, 2024

FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — Army researchers are teaming with operational units to define the future of countermine technology while developing solutions for Soldiers.

The Army’s C5ISR Center joined the 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps and industry partners during the multi-day Sandhills Project experimentation event in December to demonstrate how Army Futures Command’s R&D community is shaping technological capabilities to meet Soldiers’ current and future needs.

C5ISR Center’s civilian engineers and scientists are modernizing the Army’s countermine mission space through investments in Aided Target Recognition, known as AiTR, with an emphasis on increased Soldier survivability. The Center was one of the first to develop and field AiTR during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, primarily for counter-improvised explosive device applications in combination with ground penetrating radar sensors. Now, the focus turns to the next round of threats. The C5ISR Center is an element of the Combat Capabilities Development Command under AFC.

Mike Donnelly, an electrical engineer in the Center’s Research and Technology Integration Directorate, said the group is developing AiTR algorithms for integration into platforms such as remote and autonomous ground robotics, small unmanned aerial systems and handheld detection systems. Breaching operations must be as fast and precise as possible to maintain momentum and reduce the enemy’s ability to target friendly forces.

“We go to the field to provide live demonstrations with Soldiers and collect data from real targets,” Donnelly said. “This helps us develop a more robust algorithm so that when you give it to the Soldier, you know it’ll work in wide range of environments and conditions. That’s been the fundamental ideology behind our program. Build the best AiTR we can for Soldiers when it comes time to deploy.”

In addition to civilian subject-matter experts, the Army assigns noncommissioned officers to C5ISR Center as enlisted advisers to bridge the gap between lab-based research and operational use.

“Working with Soldiers gives researchers a different perspective because they have on-the-ground experience,” said Master Sgt. Cory Stepp, a combat engineer assigned to C5ISR Center. “As the R&D coordinator for C5ISR Center, I go out and find units, and we take this technology to Soldiers to get a larger amount of feedback. It’s important to involve Soldiers early on so we can help fix some of the problems in the very beginning stages.”

Col. Kenneth Frey is director of the Maneuver Support Capability Development Integration Directorate, which writes requirements for the future capabilities of Army branches that include combat engineers. His team works with DEVCOM Centers and other Army research organizations to understand the current state of the art and where technology is headed to define modernization requirements.

“I aim to modernize the engineer regiment, specifically toward the 2040 future,” Frey said. “What are our threats in 2040? Where do we need to be in 2040 to prepare regiments to operate in that time and space? I leverage the science and technology community to understand the minimums and maximums of technology now and in the future.

“The main obstacle that I see for Soldiers today in this experimentation is they still do this mission in the threat and are physically in the breach. For 2040 or nearer, we want to remove Soldiers from the hazard. Everyone here — S&T, industry, leadership — has come together with their skillsets. It gives a vision of what can be done.”

C5ISR Center electrical engineer Clare Yang said algorithms help to reduce the cognitive burden on Soldiers as they conduct missions as well as improve situational awareness by automatically detecting threats of interest. AiTR does not require a Soldier to continually monitor a sensor feed but merely confirm what the algorithm detects.

“Soldiers can push the ground robotic platform ahead of their units to conduct breach objectives such as cutting wires, moving obstacles and neutralizing explosive hazards while they stay behind,” Yang said.

“With an air platform, Soldiers can elevate their point of view, which allows them to see a farther distance and a wider area. Time is of the essence when it comes to obstacle breaching, and the ability to see as far and wide of an area as possible will help combat engineers gather intel quickly and make speedy decisions. In the coming decades, we’ll see more human-machine integrated platforms.”

Maj. Nick Rinaldi, a project manager at Army Applications Lab, is part of a team focused on working across the service to bring solutions to the front lines.

“There are great programs in place to get us where we need to be in the Army of 2030 and Army of 2040,” Rinaldi said. “In parallel, there are activities happening at an operational unit level across multiple organizations in Army Futures Command and Corps of Engineers. How do we deliver in parallel? How do our Warfighters take advantage of technology as it’s becoming available?”

C5ISR Center participation in experimentation venues such as Sandhills Project and brigade training rotations is instrumental for the Army S&T community to move lab work into the field, according to Marc Titler, a chief engineer in the Center’s RTI Directorate.

“Our engineers and scientists get immediate feedback on the current capabilities that will improve the next iteration of their prototype systems,” Titler said. “SMEs gain a broader appreciation and context of the real-world mission space challenges and problems that helps focus investments and technical investigations.”

By Dan Lafontaine, DEVCOM C5ISR Center Public Affairs

US Army Releases New TM for Target Audience Analysis

Wednesday, February 21st, 2024

TM 3-53.11 Influence Process Activity: Target Audience Analysis is the first of several new Technical Manuals to be released following the deconstruction of Special Text 33-01. The Influence Process Activity series includes TM 3-53.11, Target Audience Analysis; TM 3-53.12, Plan; TM 3-53.13, Prepare; TM 3-53.14, Execute; and TM 3-53.15, Assess. The others in the series are currently in the publication process with unknown, future publication dates.

TM 3-53.11 establishes techniques and procedures for Psychological Operations forces conducting analysis of foreign target audiences (TAs) in support of commander’s objectives and influence-based objectives.

Analysis provides requisite information for Psychological Operations Soldiers throughout each phase of conducting influence activities, to include the planning, development, delivery, and assessment of series.

Series focus on intermediate objectives toward a single supporting psychological objective (SPO) and TA combination in support of a psychological objective (PO). Multiple series may be required to support the achievement of each PO. Multiple POs support a program(s). Analysis further enables informed advice and increases behavior forecast accuracy. The principles contained in this publication are linked to Army Service doctrine in FM 3-53.

Read it at armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN40204-TM_3-53.11-000-WEB-1.