ADAPTING EXPERIMENTATION AND TESTING


TRANSFORMING IN CONTACT


The network is the top priority in the Army’s transformation effort, calling for systems that are more simple and intuitive.


by Maj. Bradley Anderson and Kathryn Bailey T


he future operating environment will be complex, spanning great distances over extended timelines and noncontiguous regions and placing the Army’s network and command and control (C2) systems in the spotlight for every aspect of the fight. With so much riding on the communications of people


and systems, Army senior leaders have designated the network as the No. 1 priority in the Army’s transformation effort, calling for systems that are more simple, intuitive, low-signature and iterative.


To ensure the network and its myriad radios, blue force tracking (GPS-enabled systems for tracking people and assets), command post, fires support technologies, satellite systems and other capabilities meet these requirements, the Army is identifying specific units to experiment with near-term networked communications systems designed to counter the threats leaders see evolving on the battlefield.


Known as “transforming in contact,” this experimentation is becoming an increasingly critical component for evaluating and helping to refine technologies that could be needed at a moment’s notice. U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) is supporting these assessments by providing a mix of light and armored formations across brigade combat teams, divisions and enablers.


Transforming in contact is not just for network experimentation; it is part of a larger Army initiative that is also evaluating electronic warfare, counter-unmanned aerial systems and how personnel and tactics align with technologies. Driven by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George and other senior leaders, the transforming in contact effort spans regions and theaters in Europe, the Pacific and the Middle East as well as the continental U.S. In addition to FORSCOM units, the Army’s Centers of Excel- lence and program executive offices, as well as cross-functional teams from the Army


https://asc.ar my.mil 37


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