COMMENTARY
THE ENDURING NEED FOR C5ISR SUSTAINMENT
A robust and agile C5ISR supply chain serves as a necessary insurance policy for warfighters of today and tomorrow.
by Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II
nological advancements are allowing us to remain at the forefront of modernization for the Army of today, 2030 and beyond. At the same time, the mission to sustain and maintain existing C5ISR systems, managed by the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), is foun- dational to the Army’s ongoing readiness.
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To better support these efforts, over the last several years the Army has shifted focus toward a new, flexible model for C5ISR life cycle system support. Tis model, focused on contin- uous modernization, is designed to enable program executive offices (PEOs) to maintain aggressive fielding schedules for updated systems. Much of this continuous modernization is enabled by increasing the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies that allow rapid delivery of new capabilities to the field. Tis contrasts with traditional processes where programs of record are acquired and fielded by the PEO and then, after several years, tran- sition to sustainment under AMC’s C5ISR life cycle management organization, the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command.
Tis new system support model has many benefits. It ensures we continue to deliver the most modernized kit directly to our Soldiers. It also challenges us as an Army to keep moving forward by frequently improving and upgrading our C5ISR hardware and software and allows users to give constant feedback through an ongoing iterative cycle.
However, as discussions around the flexible model and COTS continue to gain traction, and new technology and equipment rapidly rolls out, there is an idea that the Army will turn away from its sustainment responsibilities and will simply throw away equipment when it breaks and replace with new without making any effort to repair it first. Te
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s America’s near-peer adversaries are advancing at lightning speeds, the Army is accelerating our competitive edge by exceeding their pace. Tis is particu- larly relevant in the field of command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR), where rapid tech-
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