JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. — The modern battlefield is a dynamic and ever-evolving arena where success hinges on adaptability. To maintain a strategic advantage, the U.S. Army is committed to making its networked command posts more adaptable and mobile through an ongoing process informed by Soldier feedback and real-world operations.
During a recent Limited User Test, or LUT, of the initial iteration of the Army’s Command Post Integrated Infrastructure system — known as CPI2 — at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Army assessed newly introduced mobile command platforms and command post support vehicles in the existing network infrastructure.
The primary goal of the exercise was to assess performance and functionality within the context of the brigade headquarters. Additionally, this evaluation extended to understanding how these advanced components operate as part of the main command post and tactical command post. This comprehensive assessment will help inform how integrated platforms enhance on-the-move capabilities and align with operational requirements, including the imperative of modernization to support large-scale combat operations.
"With this new system, we're set to enhance mobility, reduce weight, speed up setup and teardown, and match the swift pace of our Stryker formation,” said Maj. J.J. Johnson, 1-2 Stryker Brigade communications officer. “This ensures our [mobile command platforms] stay in step, enabling us to maintain control as we navigate dynamic battlefield challenges."
Learn, Adapt, Enhance
Command post modernization is not a one-time event, but a continuous process rooted in learning, adaptation, and enhancement. Lessons learned from real-world operations, emerging threats, and feedback from the troops provide the foundation for improvement. The recent LUT followed four separate Soldier Touchpoints with different units and formations conducted earlier in the development cycle.
It also identified some areas for improvement in the CPI2 baseline, including power generation, network integration and complexity, which will be addressed in future increments of the program, said Matt Maier, the Army’s project manager for interoperability, integration and services.
However, the most pressing need for network-integrated command posts is the ability to be more mobile and survivable during large-scale operations. "We're going to be more mobile. We're going to be lighter. We're going to have way better setup speed, way better tear down speed,” Johnson said.
The command post support vehicle is integrated with FM, high frequency and tactical satellite radios, which tie into the upper tactical internet and are used to set up communications and establish command and control quickly.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ryan Webb, the information services technician for the 1-2 Stryker Brigade, also emphasized the importance of speed.
"As we’re learning, the fast set up and tear down of command posts is key on the battlefield,” he said. “This is another step to ensure the unit will be more mobile … and to have a smaller footprint so we can be expeditionary and reduce our [radio frequency] signatures to better hide from the enemy.”
Streamlining Complexity and Power Supply
Modern warfare's reliance on electronic systems demands a dependable and efficient power supply to ensure operational success, and enhancing power supply capabilities is one of the strategic priorities that emerged from the LUT and Soldier Touchpoints, which will continue to be addressed in future iterations.
Maj. John Unrath, 1-2 Stryker Brigade intelligence officer addressed another strategic priority that came out of the LUT, which is the need to streamline complexity by providing Soldiers with robust and user-friendly systems and feels the CPI2 is headed in the right direction.
"I'm very accustomed to a highly static brigade [tactical operations center], large tent structures, significant setup and tear down times that take most of a duty day,” he said. “From the tactical level, it is pretty exciting to see these things go up and down in such a short time.”
A Vision for the Future
As the Army continues its journey of integrated network command post modernization, the test results and continued Soldier feedback will validate current CPI2 design, inform future design changes, and provide data required to move into a limited rate production decision for four brigade sets of platforms. Future CPI2 increments will improve on the current design and integrate additional vehicle variants.
In addition to aligning technologies, the Army is also adapting training, doctrine, personnel and other key areas to the future vision of a more mobile and survivable command post.
Social Sharing