Monday, May 2, 2016
The Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) is a two-week rigorous, realistic and multi-echelon exercise replicating combat conditions and operational environment that facilitates an integrated evaluation of emerging concepts and capabilities. In addition, Soldiers provide critical uncensored feedback on the performance throughout the exercise.
Since the spring of 2011, the Brigade Modernization Command – a subordinate unit of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Army Capabilities Integration Center - has executed a total of 10 NIEs with the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and the System of Systems, Engineering and Integration Directorate, under the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.
During these NIEs, BMC conducts an assessment on networked and non-networked concepts and capabilities to determine their implications across Army Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities, and Policy.
Beginning in May 2016, the NIE will be held annually in the spring and serve as an enabler for the Army’s Mission Command 2020 by integrating warfighting functions. BMC and its partners, ATEC and ASA (ALT), will continue their efforts to conduct integrated and paralleled operational tests of select Army programs of record.
As the Army transforms and sustains its readiness, modernization of forces and doctrine will remain a key factor. Modernizing mission command capabilities is critical and facilitates the decision-making of leaders and Soldiers across all tactical echelons for Unified Land Operations in support of the Joint Force and allies. NIEs remain a critical component in the modernization process by providing needed feedback on potential solutions to integrated network capabilities. Simultaneously, NIEs provide an environment that integrates live, virtual, constructive and gaming training environments, which, according to the chief of staff of the Army, allows commanders to creatively generate the highest possible training readiness.
NIEs deliver an agile, adaptable and networked Army. Through the NIE process, the Army has integrated, validated and refined network capability sets, providing improved mission command capabilities and network connectivity from the command post to vehicles on the move and to both dismounted and mounted Soldiers. These efforts provide decision makers with better information to meet the needs of the Army within budget constraints. NIE is the Army’s largest operational exercise that tests and evaluates systems and capabilities; NIE is the Army’s centerpiece for modernization.
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