Command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C(4)I) systems

Army, Oct 2002

U.S. Army C^sup 4^I programs and activities are the foundation for tactical digitization and service operations in the 21st century. A good example is the Army Battle Command System (ABCS), an integrated family of command and control systems being directed by the program executive office (PEO) for command, control and communications systems.

Systems being developed and fielded under the ABCS umbrella include: advanced field artillery tactical data system (AFATDS); air and missile defense workstation (AMDWS); all-source analysis system (ASAS); combat service support control system; digital topographic support system; enhanced position location reporting system (EPLRS); Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2); global command and control system-- Army (GCCS-A); maneuver control system (MCS); near-term digital radio (NTDR); secure mobile antijam reliable tactical terminal (SMART-T); super highfrequency triband advanced range extension satellite terminals; single channel ground and airborne radio system (SINCGARS); single channel manportable terminal; Spitfire; and warfighter information network-tactical (WIN-T).

A key representative ABCS system, Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2), forms the principal digital command and control system for the Army at brigade and below. It provides battle command and situational awareness information down to the soldier and platform level through a communications infrastructure called the Tactical Internet.

Another representative ABCS component is the Air and Missile Defense Workstation. AMDWS is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system that contributes to combat effectiveness by retrieving, fusing and distributing time-sensitive information necessary to achieve decision-cycle dominance. AMDWS retrieves battlespace awareness information from many sources: joint headquarters, the ABCS network, national intelligence assets, all-source centers, and tactical and strategic sensors. AMDWS uses this information to provide an area-- complete, combat-operations display that combines ground-, air- and space-based sensor inputs and command and staff data with automated planning tools. Distribution is accomplished over tactical and special purpose communications in near-real time, while supporting concurrent interaction with joint command and control (C^sup 2^) networks, sensor sources and ABCS systems. The AMDWS system is the force operations piece of the forward area air defense command, control and intelligence network system supporting short-range air defense battalions and brigades. AMDWS is the foundation software platform for the air and missile defense task force planner for Patriot battalion units.

PEO, command, control and communication systems (C^sup 3^S) also coordinates development and fielding of the radio products that form the heart of the Tactical Internet. The Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) provides data distribution and position/navigation services in near-real time for the warfighter at brigade and below, in support of the battlefield functional areas and the FBCB2 program. Manufactured by Raytheon Systems Company, the EPLRS system consists of a network control station and EPLRS user units that can be variously configured for manual, vehicular or airborne platforms.

With the Internet controller, Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) provides the communications link for digitized forces. Produced by ITT Industries, the system is available in manportable, vehicular and airborne models with communications security (COMSEC) integrated in currently produced ground and airborne versions. The system improvement program models have upgrades that enhance their operational capability on the Tactical Internet with additional performance benefits and size reductions in advanced system improvement program models.

The Near-Term Data Radio System (NTDRS) supports the upper portion of the Tactical Internet by providing the command-center-to-command-center data communications backbone for the Army's digitized division.

NTDRS uses ITT Industries' Mercury wideband network radio. By adapting commercial networking practices to military needs, the Mercury radios automatically organize and maintain the network for commanders while they are on the move. Features include modular design; open architecture; bandwidth on demand; expanded data, commercial and military protocols; rapid reprogrammable software; interoperability; network management; mobile networking; automatic network formation; global positioning system (GPS); and security-systems protection.

FY 2001 activities featured deployment of 104 NTDRS to the Army's first digitized division and 44 NTDRS to the first Stryker brigade to perform the tactical operations center to tactical operations center data networking mission. In FY 2002, there was an expanded deployment of additional systems to support the transformation of the second Stryker brigade.

The program executive office for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors (PEO IEW&S) also oversees an array of sophisticated electronics and communications systems.