Lessons Learned From Iraq
Command and control (C
2) facilities were one of the key factors in the success of operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the U.S. Defense Department. The digital connectivity that enabled headquarters C
2 provided roughly 42 times the bandwidth that was available in the first Gulf War, say Pentagon officials. However, problems did emerge in trying to move vital information down “the last tactical mile to the tip of the spear,” notes Brig. Gen. Robert W. Cone, USA, director of the Joint Center for Lessons Learned at the U.S. Joint Forces Command. The war also saw a far greater demand for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. And, in many cases that involved moving vital intelligence down to the warfighter, expectations were not met. U.S. forces have “a long way to go to tie this network together and get the right information to the right person at the right time,” Gen. Cone says.
Military, Industry Collaborate on Security
The U.S. Defense Department and an industry consortium are teaming to examine a proof-of-concept project that will demonstrate the interoperability of credentials for physical access to work locations. The Federated Identity Cross-credentialing System/Defense Cross-credentialing Identification System (FiXs/DCIS), an identity management and credentialing technique, addresses security in the industry-Defense Department joint environment. The project will help military facilities authenticate credentials of contractors as well as assist companies in verifying the identification of military personnel when they work at commercial sites while retaining existing security systems and policies. Interoperability is key to the system. The Electronic Payments Association assisted in the development of the FiXs/DCIS. The project began October 1 and runs through April 30, 2004.
Iraq Cellular Licenses Awarded Three regional wireless firms have been awarded licenses to develop Iraq’s new cellular telecommunications infrastructure. For the southern part of the country, Atheer Telecommunications, which is a consortium of partnerships that include Kuwait’s Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) and Iraqi firms, will establish mobile links; a consortium led by Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. will cover the central region, which is home to 40 percent of Iraq’s population; and Asia-Cell, led by Kuwait’s National Mobile Communications, will serve the northern part of Iraq. Under the terms of the two-year licenses, customers of each of the three services will be able to use their telephones throughout the entire country through nationwide roaming. All three networks will use global system for mobile (GSM) communications technology, which also is in use by Iraq’s neighbors.
Army Systems Get New Home
Effective October 1, the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS) assumed responsibility for four new systems that help provide network-centric, knowledge-based business and combat support. The Standard Procurement System will improve the service’s contract administration functions. The Reserve Component Automation System offers automated information management capabilities that support the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. Army Reserve. The Distributive Training Technology Project, which is similar to the PEO EIS’s current Distributed Learning System, is a communications and learning delivery system that will be used by the National Guard for distance education initiatives. Finally, the Force Modernization System provides the force management community with an online analytical capability concerning how personnel changes affect Army units.
Wireless Standard Amendment
A new amendment to an international wireless local area network (WLAN) standard will prevent interference with radar and other communications systems. The modification to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a standard affects WLAN products and related equipment operating in the 5-gigahertz band. The new rule, 802.11h, meets international standards for WLAN devices to detect radar, Earth Explorations Satellite Service and Space Research Service system transmissions and switch to another channel or reduce transmission power to avoid interference.
Research Funds AvailableThe Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (CCAT) is seeking proposals about innovative technologies that specifically meet the priorities of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A panel of independent experts will review each submission, and winners will be awarded CCAT services that would put the commercialization of the technology on the fast track and expedite insertion into government agencies. Center support includes cash awards, market studies, business planning, mentoring activities and research and development funding. The deadline for submissions is November 3, 2003, and additional information about requirements is available on CCAT’s Web site at
www.ccatsandiego.org.
DD(X) Program Passes Milestone
The U.S. Navy’s advanced DD(X) destroyer program has passed two milestones for major subsystems on the vessel. The Total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE) and the Mark 57 Vertical Launching System (VLS) both passed a preliminary Navy design review. The TSCE integrates all the ship’s warfighting and peacetime electronic operations into a common enterprise computing environment. It is designed to the Navy’s Open Architecture model to easily accept future system changes and reduce costs. MK 57 VLS is designed to launch all of the Navy’s current and projected missiles. The system also can be scaled to accept larger missiles for future ballistic missile defense. Both subsystems are manufactured by the
Raytheon Company .
Reduced Lethality Weapons for Soldiers The U.S. Congress has provided $1 million to the Defense Department to equip U.S. forces with reduced lethality Taser weapons. The conducted-energy weapons stun an adversary by jolting him or her with an electric current. The congressional funding, which is part of the fiscal year 2004 defense appropriations bill, represents a growing need for less-lethal response capabilities for U.S. forces in post-war environments such as Afghanistan and Iraq, according to Taser International officials.
