SHARED VISION
into units, we make sure training is pro- vided to potential new users.
FOCUS ON FIELD SUPPORT
The new field support concept for network and mission command systems embraces Soldiers as the first line of defense for troubleshooting, backed by a construct of multifunctional support. Field support is one of the key issues that PEO C3T and CECOM have joined forces to address in their search for efficiencies. (U.S. Army photo by Vanessa Flores, ASA(ALT) System of Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate)
Martin: But the Army has a unique chal- lenge when it comes to sustainment that many of the other services don’t: We gen- erally have significantly larger quantities and varieties of systems as the result of mission and organizational constructs. Although the Army is getting smaller, we still have the responsibility to modernize the Army, Army Reserve and National Guard units. We can’t afford to equip the entire force overnight, so it generally takes many, many years to fully field a new system. Consequently, without sus- tainment, the technology can become obsolete before you can get to the end of fielding. So, as a result of the time it takes to field the entire force and the rate of technology advancement, we often have many different versions and variations of systems. Tat’s true of software as well as hardware.
efforts and other Army sustainment ini- tiatives both current and planned.
Jones-Bonbrest: Army sustainment
means different things to different people. What does it mean to you?
Martin: Simply stated, ensures that all of the efforts
sustainment associ-
ated with the equipment we provide to Soldiers in times of peace and conflict— training, operation, maintenance and support—are considered. Te traditional efforts required to build a sustainment capability are currently being challenged as we focus on incorporating more com- mercially developed technologies than ever before. Tese often involve rapid technology evolution and increasingly rapid rates of obsolescence. Rapid change in technology does cause us to revisit the
48 Army AL&T Magazine April-June 2016
way we deliver training, repair and spares support for these systems.
Muzzelo: I would agree with that. After equipment fielding has been completed, these systems come into the life-cycle management commands, which have responsibilities to support the program offices in ensuring
that the systems
remain operationally supportable. As Gary mentioned, in our domain we use a lot of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment integrated into these weapon systems. As a consumer, you might throw out an old phone, but the Army isn’t going to throw things out, so we need to make sure they continue to operate as intended. We make sure the software is working, the parts are available for repair, the Soldiers understand how to use sys- tems—and, as new Soldiers transition
For example, since the late 1990s we have fielded our situational awareness and friendly force tracking system, Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2). An important part of our com- mand and control, FBCB2 is currently on more than 100,000 platforms and found in every brigade combat team in the Army. Upgrading this system is a massive process. We had to field the upgrade in increments due to resourcing and matu- ration of technology, starting with Joint Capabilities Release and now turning to the newest iteration known as Joint Bat- tle Command – Platform (JBC-P).
With the upgrade come significant fea- tures and a greatly increased density of systems within each unit—all
things
the next-generation Soldier expects— but it also takes time. So we have to prioritize and field in accordance with available resources to make the most of
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