FUELING NETWORK MODERNIZATION


R


ecent events in Europe and around the world are highlighting the importance of the Army’s contin- ual network modernization to ensure readiness for potential multidomain operations against near-peer


adversaries. Among these priority efforts is the delivery of resil- ient on-the-move networking capability to armored formations. Frontline armored units combat enemy forces using a lethal combination of fire power and rapid maneuver. Improved mobile communications would greatly enhance their survivability and lethality.


To advance these efforts, the Army conducted an Armored Formation On-Te-Move Network pilot—supported by the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division—at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in January and February. During the pilot, Soldiers evaluated new and emerging commercial network tech- nology from more than 20 industry partners integrated onto the unit’s available surrogate M1068 armored vehicles. Te intended platforms for future network integration include the Armored Multipurpose Vehicle and Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.


Te pilot was not a formal operational test or review of potential solutions, but an opportunity for the Army to inform opera- tional and technical concepts, requirements, technology maturity and affordability in support of the Capability Set 2025 (CS25) network modernization design.


Over the last several years, the Army has pivoted toward an iter- ative network modernization strategy that enables the service to rapidly design, acquire and field innovative capability equip- ment sets every two years. Te capability-set process calls for open-systems architectures that enable easier integration of future modernization efforts, as well as systems that are more intuitive and Soldier-centric in nature. Tis strategy is fueling unified network modernization across Army, joint and coali- tion forces. CS25, which begins fielding in fiscal year 2025, will be the Army’s first network capability set that includes armored formations.


HALT, PIVOT In 2018, as the Army started to withdraw from smaller scale contingency operations, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, senior leaders looked ahead at the potential for larger scale combat operations against more powerful adversaries and asked some key questions: What are the principal characteristics and require- ments that we would need from the network to move from a forward-operating-base-centric environment and reset to large scale combat operations in a multidomain operational environ- ment? Are we on the right modernization path to get there?


We understood that to go toe-to-toe in a great power conflict in large scale combat operations—and win—we would need a new strategy that would enable us to more rapidly and


COMMUNICATIONS ON-THE-MOVE


Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division conduct mission command and network communications on-the-move at Fort Stewart, Georgia, on Feb. 2. (Photo by Capt. Detrick Moore, PEO C3T)


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Army AL&T Magazine


Fall 2022


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