TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. (Jan. 6, 2016) -- Tobyhanna Army Depot personnel recently routed more than 16 miles of cat-6 cable to 539 wireless access points at Letterkenny Army Depot, or LEAD, marking the ninth and most recent site across the Army Materiel Command, or AMC, to receive an upgraded wireless local area network, or WLAN.
The technology provides short-range wireless high-speed data connections between mobile devices and nearby access points, and will be used to facilitate next generation Logistics Modernization Program Increment 2, or LMP I2, communications.
Before the installation, LEAD's wireless network had been down since 2012. Despite initially falling behind schedule, the install team was able to pool its resources and meet the scheduled completion date. Jesse Tressler, chief of the Directorate of Information Management's Integration Division at LEAD, said the dedicated effort of Tobyhanna personnel led to the project's success.
"Tobyhanna's installation team tackled a major challenge due to the layout of Letterkenny and access issues within certain buildings," he said. "The team worked closely with local network and telecommunications personnel to ensure a successful and professional installation."
Work began Nov. 30 at the mission's 10th install site, Anniston Army Depot, or ANAD, and is set to wrap up March 4. Andrew Hrosovsky, Tobyhanna's WLAN installation lead, said the depot is in the pre-deployment phase of the ANAD install, and added that it is an even larger undertaking than LEAD.
"We have a small team on the ground preparing and configuring the Wi-Fi devices. After the holidays we'll return with a 10-person team to begin the installation process," he said. "Our teams will install 121 outside units and 421 indoor units, and perform troubleshooting for an additional 107 existing devices."
Jude Buckwalter, Tobyhanna's WLAN project manager, said wireless upgrades made at Tobyhanna in March are noticeable but won't be fully realized for another six months.
"Our industrial operations facility continues to see marked connectivity improvements but we will not begin using the new wireless capabilities across the depot until June 2016 when CAMS goes live," he said.
Buckwalter said the primary purpose of CAMS is facilitating documentation processes - both planned and completed. It allows users on the production floor to receive instructions on the computer and to record progress. Increased WLAN capability will help users further improve the process.
Tressler says LEAD will take full advantage of the technology as it is further deployed.
"Letterkenny is grateful to have had Tobyhanna's assistance in restoring our wireless network as we move closer to going live with LMP I2," he said.
The three remaining sites scheduled include Sierra Army Depot, California; Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas; and Crane Army Ammunition Plant, Indiana.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C4ISR systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna's Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C4ISR provider of choice for all branches of the armed forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna's unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to the military's joint warfighters.
About 3,100 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the armed forces.
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