Mobile comm ready to go 'tactical' for Iraq drawdown

By Spc. Matthew A. Wright, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade public affairsAugust 2, 2011

Mobile communications ready to go 'tactical' for Iraq drawdown
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Mobile communications ready to go 'tactical' for Iraq drawdown
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CAMP TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 1, 2011) -- With the expected pullout of troops at the conclusion of Operation New Dawn, one unit in Iraq is making sure Soldiers there are also ready for a drawdown in network bandwidth capacity.

When the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade -- now controlling about half of Army aviation assets in Iraq -- loses the robust contractor-provided bandwidth it currently uses, it'll be Charlie Company, 640th Aviation Support Battalion who keeps the conversation going with its own tactical signal support.

It's Charlie Company's primary role to ensure that tactical communications, whether Internet, radio or telephone, are constantly up and running.

"They are the backbone of the tactical communications network for the combat aviation brigade," said Capt. David Rosales, Charlie Company commander.

Tactical communications use line-of-site dishes and mobile relay systems which occupy a small footprint. Charlie Company maintains and operates the tactical systems for the brigade and subordinate units.

The company has detachments at both Contingency Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk and Contingency Operating Base, or COB, Speicher, Tikrit, in northern Iraq. In Kirkuk, the communications team provides backup tactical communications for the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, or HHT, of the 6-17th Cavalry Squadron. They transmit to and from a joint network node at COB Speicher, which relays data to other locations throughout the Iraq joint operations area.

"We are here to support 6-17 Cavalry on communications, from telephone to laptops and regular Internet," said Sgt. Ruben Cruz from Charlie Company.

The tactical network system runs through a command post node which is a mobile unit that connects to a satellite transportable terminal to uplink data to communication satellites. Communications specialists are responsible for monitoring the communication feed to make sure there are no disruptions dropping the feed.

The 40th CAB units currently rely on a combination of strategic and tactical communications systems. Strategic communications, which include contractor-provided Internet, cables and telephones, are permanently built on operating base infrastructure. Strategic systems are maintained by contractor personnel and tactical communications augment and serve as a backup to the strategic network.

At some point, the strategic networks at bases will be withdrawn from the post, leaving the tactical networks as the primary means of communications.

Cruz explained what discontinuing the strategic network and relying solely on the tactical network would mean to the HHT.

"Right now, the bandwidth we have could be compared to the size of a one-inch wire rope -- that's really thick and big," Cruz said. "If we were to go down to full tactical, it will be less than a shoestring. So I will be supporting around a maximum of 10 phone systems and 10 computer systems. When the civilian contractor-provided Internet goes down, we put our equipment into play so Soldiers can still have communications."

Cruz and his team have been in Kirkuk since February and will be there throughout the summer. Spc. Mario Perez, from Charlie Company, is part of the team as a CPN operator. His duties include establishing and monitoring the tactical network system.

"We set up voice, meaning telephone systems, and data for the Internet as well as other types of communication," Perez said. "We then monitor the connections to the router switches and to the users, in addition to the connections to the STT and hubs, and make sure that there is no break in service."

Members of Charlie Company continue to back up the strategic communications on a daily basis throughout central and northern Iraq and are ready for the tactical network to become the primary means of communications as the bases prepare to close in conjunction with the drawdown.

The team has been anticipating the drawdown all year, Rosales said, and are ready to put their tactical network in motion as the mission posture changes in Iraq.

Related Links:

Army.mil: Middle East News

STAND-TO!: Operation New Dawn

640th Aviation Support Battalion on Facebook

U.S. Forces - Iraq on Facebook

U.S. Forces - Iraq