FORT MONMOUTH, N.J. - The U.S. Army changed the name of its system-of-systems-integration, research and development program, Oct. 1.
Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance On-the-Move, or C4ISR OTM, is now C4ISR & Network Modernization.
The name change reflects the program's alignment with the Army's Network Modernization strategy, said Lt. Col. William T. Utroska, director, C4ISR & Network Modernization.
"This was long coming. We are all in agreement that the network is the most complex piece of modernization. For several years, this program has provided critical and key insights on how the network will perform in the future and will continue to do so," Utroska said.
C4ISR & Network Modernization will continue exploring leap-ahead capabilities that can augment and enhance the foundation of network modernization while identifying technology acceleration opportunities into the current force, Utroska said.
"This is tremendously important to our Army. We're trying to figure out what the future looks like over the horizon and how to bridge it with the current - it's a continuum of modernization efforts," said Brig. Gen. Harold Greene, deputy commanding general, RDECOM.
"I think this kind of effort is absolutely essential. We need to have facilities and events like this that allow us to understand the art of the possible so we can be agile and adapt on the fly," Greene said.
C4ISR & Network Modernization is a research and development program within the U.S. Army's Research, Development and Engineering Command's communications-electronics center, or CERDEC, that evaluates the technical applications and maturity for emerging networking, sensors and C4ISR-enabling platforms on a year-round basis.
This is done to demonstrate the impact of integrating these capabilities in a system-of-systems environment. The venue also provides science, technology and engineering support to mitigate risk for Army Technology Objectives and supports milestone decisions for programs of record.
"Network modernization is the most complex part of the modernization strategy. This program is a critical component to RDECOM's systems integration domain and technology focus team construct," said CERDEC Director Gary W. Blohm.
"The venue brings the R&D, test, acquisition, industry and user communities together to leverage their capabilities and intellectual capital. No more stovepipe testing, no more isolated testing - we want to bring everything together in a system-of-systems to focus on the complete problem set. If it doesn't work in a system-of-systems, it doesn't work. We owe it to the Army to make it all work together," Blohm said.
This year's integrated activities event, E10, was designed based on high-level objectives including the ongoing 2013-2014 capability set study directed by the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, or ASA (AL&T).
These included examining how cellular technologies could be integrated into the tactical network, exploring enhanced capabilities for Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) and Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), and performing a 36-node assessment of the Soldier Radio Waveform.
"It's easy to say 'this is what's going to be in those capability sets.' The real rub is making it all work together the best way possible and finding out where the strength and weaknesses are. This venue provides us a tremendous opportunity to figure those things out," said Maj. Gen. Nick Justice, commanding general, RDECOM.
While E10 concluded on Sept. 2, C4ISR & Network Modernization is still performing capability assessments and preparing for E11, which is scheduled to begin April 18 at Fort Dix, N.J.
C4ISR & Network Modernization will be taking proposal packages as they prepare for a mid-planning conference, Jan. 18-20, and the final planning conference, March 29-31.
To learn more about C4ISR & Network Modernization, visit http://go.usa.gov/alg or contact CERDEC Public Affairs, (732) 427-1594.
Related Links:
Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center
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