WIN-T leverages field experience to improve protected satellite communications

Project Manager Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (PM WIN-T) takes advantage of hands-on battlefield experience by leveraging that knowledge within its own acquisition community. Captain Sheila Banks is one such asset.

“We are leveraging her field experience from three rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan and her ARFORGEN (Army Force Generation) deployment experience to minimize the impact on units as we field new equipment to them,” said Lt. Col. Gregory Coile, product manager Satellite Communications (PdM SATCOM) assigned to PM WIN-T. “Her tactical combat experience is being injected into the PM office.”

Banks, former assistant product manager for Protected Satellite Communication assigned to PdM SATCOM, was instrumental in a recent milestone for the Army’s secure tactical network. In April, PM WIN-T completed the fielding of the next generation Secure, Mobile, Anti-Jam, Reliable, Tactical-Terminals (SMART-T) to its first tactical units, an upgrade which will greatly increase satellite throughput on the battlefield.

“The most important thing about this fielding is that these enhancements will maximize a troop’s communication and increase the available data on the battlefield,” said Edwin Rivera, project lead for SMART-T. “In war today one or two minutes can be critical, so the more data that we can receive, the better prepared we are to plan and carry out our missions.”

SMART-T makes it possible for Soldiers to extend the range of their network in such a manner that communications cannot be jammed, detected, or intercepted. Soldiers can send text, data, voice and video communications beyond their area of operations without worrying that the information will fall into the hands of enemy forces. More than 250 of the original iteration of the systems have been fielded to date.

“It’s the security of the communications that is most important, especially when (we are) overseas in a deployment area,” Banks said.

The biggest difference between the legacy and the new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite terminal upgrade is in capacity. The AEHF terminals will quadruple the satellite throughput.

“As the project lead for the AEHF mission planning tool, Cpt. Banks was instrumental in getting the tool’s materiel release approved so that SMART-T AEHF upgrades could be fielded to brigades, divisions and corps,” Coile said. “This upgrade will bring a fourfold increase in bandwidth capability for protected communications to combat units.”

The mission planning tool is necessary to configure both the AEHF SMART-T and to request satellite transponder space. This tool was developed in coordination with the Air Force, but the Army is the procuring agent for both the Air Force and the Marines. The tool is used to plan communication missions and to configure and load the systems.

“Cpt. Banks’ input on the coordination of the AEHF upgrade to the SMART-T was crucial, Coile said. “She was essential in giving a battalion S6’s perspective on the impacts of the training and fielding decisions that we were making.”

The S6 is the Battalion level communications, or signal officer, and the principal staff officer for all matters concerning command, control, communications, and computer operations.

“When I first deployed to Iraq we had a SMART-T at our location and used it for dual homing along with the node center,” Banks said. “Once we redeployed back to Fort Hood, whenever we had training exercises we would always take a SMART-T out to the field.”

With three deployments under her belt, Banks’ possesses firsthand experience with WIN-T systems and how they are used on the battlefield to meet mission requirements. Her entire military career has revolved around the signal community, including her previous position as a battalion S6. She is now translating that tactical satellite experience into the acquisition corps, Coile said.

“We rely heavily on Cpt. Banks’ combat experience as a tactical signal officer to help us ensure that we understand how satellite terminals are being used,” Coile said

SMART-T is a component of the WIN-T architecture and compatible with both WIN-T Increments 1 and 2 and their corresponding equipment. Similar to a home Internet connection, WIN-T provides high-speed, high-capacity voice, data and video communications on the battlefield.

“In my second deployment at Fort Hood, we were one of the first in our division to be issued a JNN (Joint Network Node) to our Signal Company,” Banks said. “I know how valuable WIN-T assets are and how beneficial they are to the Warfighter.”

For the last six months, Banks has served as the assistant product manager for Protected Satellite Communications, which includes SMART-T, the mission planning tools for SMART-T, as well as Single Channel Anti-jam ManPortable (SCAMP) terminals, which are being transitioned out of the Army’s portfolio. Currently she is serving in theater as the liaison officer for the Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) to which PM WIN-T is assigned. As the on-the-ground representative for the PEO, she is responsible for sustaining and supporting C3T systems in theater, as well as synchronizing the withdrawal of equipment and personnel with the drawdown of forces in Iraq. Following her deployment she will return to PM WIN-T having furthered her expertise and experience even more.

Amy Walker is a staff writer for Symbolic Systems, Inc. supporting the Army’s Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T).