Harbormaster Command and Control Center Provides Improved Situational Awareness of Maritime Traffic

By Nancy Jones-Bonbrest, staff writer for PEO C3TNovember 2, 2012

Harbormaster Command and Control Center
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The U.S. Army constructed a 1,200 foot floating causeway pier as part of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) exercise at Fort Story, Va. The Army's Harbormaster Command and Control Center, a new maritime logistics situational awareness capabil... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Harbormaster Command and Control Center
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The scope of the extensive Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore exercise at Fort Story, Va. included the Harbormaster Command and Control Center, a new maritime logistics situational awareness capability that tracked the movement of watercraft from its sta... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Harbormaster Command and Control Center
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Harbormaster Command and Control Center
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers discuss operations inside the tent of a Trailer Mounted Support System-Medium, an element of the Harbormaster Command and Control Center, during the recent Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore exercise at Fort Story, Va. (U.S. Army photo by Nancy ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT STORY, VA. (November 2, 2012) --The challenging waters found off the coast of Virginia, where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, offer a unique combination of erratic tidal conditions, deep-water anchorage and surf-swept beaches and dunes. It's also the perfect environment for the U.S. Army to test its new maritime situational awareness command system, the Harbormaster Command and Control Center (HCCC).

The HCCC provides the Coalition, Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) capabilities through a suite of sensors, radars and mission command tools to establish and maintain battle awareness for harbors and littoral environments.

The HCCC System is being assigned to Active and Reserve Harbormaster Detachments.

This tactically mobile system is capable of maintaining real-time tracking and communication with incoming and outgoing watercraft to ensure route security and the logistics of transitioning Army cargo from sea to shore. Much like an air traffic controller manages the movement of aircraft, the Harbormaster Detachment utilizes the HCCC System to direct the inbound and outbound flow of vessels and cargo.

"The situational awareness picture is greatly enhanced with HCCC, as it equips commanders with the ability to make timely decisions and successfully manage logistical maritime operations," said Lt. Col. Carl J. Hollister, Product Manager for Command Post Systems and Integration (PdM CPS&I). "Specifically, it gives a real-time picture of all the activities taking place on sea and shore."

PdM CPS&I manages the HCCC Program and is supported by Project Manager Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) and Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T).

The Army's first employment of the HCCC System was part of a recent extensive operation involving Army and Navy equipment and personnel for a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) exercise at Fort Story, Va. The four-day exercise included loading and unloading 26 vessels carrying more than 300 pieces of equipment and assembling a 1,200-foot floating causeway pier that was used to shuttle cargo back and forth.

During the JLOTS event, the mission of the HCCC System was to provide 24 hour operational control of Army vessels conducting intra-theater lift, water terminal, inland waterway and joint amphibious, riverine and logistics over the shore operations. Specifically, the HCCC System enables a Common Operating Picture (COP) to track and see, in real-time, the location of supplies and how to direct shipping and receiving of assets. It also provides the operational picture of current and future operations on the sea, utilize that information and provide it to the commander. By knowing the exact location of ships at sea, the commander can prioritize delivery of critical cargo.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Thomas Hall, with the 393rd Harbormaster Detachment, 10th Transportation Battalion at Fort Eustis, Va., said the HCCC can be set up and operational in as little as four hours and the flexibility of the system allows for a much-expanded vision of the common operating picture.

"In a matter of minutes, we can employ the radar and its laptop at an observation point and have the ability to provide that feedback to the commander," said Hall. "We also have the ability to send this information out for use supporting missions in other parts of the world. This is a monitoring operation, but it's also a command and control operation in directing vessel traffic."

Sgt. Jonathan Pierce with the 393rd Harbormaster Detachment at Fort Eustis, Va. said, "The HCCC camera system makes our job a lot easier. We don't have to rely on (radio communications) as much as we once did. At any given time we have as many as 20 vessels coming and going. HCCC allows us to talk to each other, and know where the equipment is going, the size of the vessel and what it's carrying. It provides exceptional command and control for vessels in our AOR [area of responsibility]."

Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Semmes, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Capabilities Manager for Transportation and current fleet manager at Fort Eustis, said in the past, only radios were used to command and control incoming vessels and cargo.

"The HCCC System brings the Army and Harbormaster Detachments into the 21st century," said Semmes. "The HCCC System allows the detachment commander to provide higher echelons a complete report of the maritime operational environment through its stout C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) capability."

Offload Control Officer for the JLOTS exercise, Executive Officer, Assault Craft Unite 2 Naval Commander Jason Brandt, said HCCC offered a "robust" capability.

"It's doing what it is supposed to do," said Brandt about the JLOTS exercise. Brandt is stationed at the Joint Naval Amphibious Base in Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. "It's allowing the Army and Navy to talk and learn together. To look out and see all four discharge points going with roll-on and roll-off all at the same time is awesome."

The inclusion of HCCC into this JLOTS exercise will help Joint forces rewrite the JLOTS operating manual to incorporate the HCCC System.

"The incorporation of HCCC Systems in JLOTS operations closes the requirements gap for a joint solution that provides key situational awareness through technologically advanced command and control equipment," said Tonnesha Lewis, HCCC Product Lead for PdM CPS&I.

Related Links:

PEO C3T website

Project Manager Warfighter Information Network-Tactical - PM WIN-T

Harbormaster Command and Control Center

Harbormaster provides logistics common operating picture from sea to shore

Harbormaster Command and Control Center manages chaotic maritime logistics traffic

Army.mil: Science and Technology News