TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa.--Industry partners Tobyhanna Army Depot and Bravura Information Technology Systems Inc. (BITS) are supporting strategic readiness via a real--time situational awareness system.
This multi-point mission includes the first facility--use agreement exercised under a public--to--private partnership for Tobyhanna in which the industry partner uses a depot building for inventory control.
The Persistent Surveillance System--Tethered, or PSS-T, provides warfighters with an effective round-the-clock intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability via tethered aerostats (a kind of balloon). In addition, PSS-T systems provide support to force protection while also serving as platforms to extend communications networks beyond line of sight. The aerostats are equipped with a wide array of sensors and other capabilities.
Video collected by a PSS-T is distributed to a forward operating base and division commander information center, as well as to quick reaction forces via personal digital assistant displays, providing tactical commanders enhanced battlefield situational awareness.
"The industry partner won a $305 million contract in 2016 to support the medium and large PSS-T aerostats, and subcontracted Tobyhanna to provide support for tasks ranging from system Reset to providing space for inventory control of components," said Sustainment Planning Specialist Daniel Petty, Production Management Directorate.
"We are scheduled to receive two medium aerostats for demilitarization and salvage and determine the condition of components and secondary repairable components, categorizing their status as repairable, non-repairable and beyond economic repair," said Logistics Management Specialist Michelle Reese, Production Management Directorate.
In addition, Tobyhanna is scheduled to begin reset of Unattended Transient Acoustic Measurement and Signature Intelligence Sensor System II in the third quarter 2018. A reset of the large and medium aerostat subassemblies is projected for the fourth quarter.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol aerostats will benefit from Tobyhanna expertise. This includes depot maintenance repair, systems engineering, sustainment engineering, demilitarization, salvage/disposal, material handling, equipment support and product support services.
The facility--use agreement is for the industry partner to perform inventory control services supporting PSS-T. "They manage the inventory control and fund facility requirements," Petty said. According to Reese, the assets that are now stored here were brought from Aberdeen, Maryland. "The industry partner came to us with this proposal when they learned they could no longer stay in Aberdeen," she said. "After working out where they would stay, they asked us to assist in making the space as efficient as possible, which of course we did. End users ask for parts and the industry partner sends large items from here through DLA (Defense Logistics Agency), small items via FedEx."
Another task supported by this relationship is supplying technical data for the PSS-T AN/DSY-2(V) 2 medium aerostat. Production Engineering provides technical data while Production Management provides the logistics, reporting and program management for the entire partnership. "We are providing that service for our industry partner now," Petty said. "Production Engineering is also providing technical data package development, update and sustainment for the PSS-T large aerostat.
"Tobyhanna is a proven and reliable partner," said Bravura CEO Claudine Adams. "They have provided key support that helps us elevate the quality of our delivery, ultimately improving service to the warfighter."
Tobyhanna directorates involved in this mission are C4ISR, Systems Integration and Support, Production Engineering, and Production Management.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance 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 our Joint Warfighters.
About 3,200 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.
Social Sharing