Army to hold tactical network industry day

The Army is holding its first industry day focused on its tactical network as part of a new Army-wide construct to help the service modernize and improve its systems procurement process.

The Army announced the establishment of a new Modernization Command with cross-functional teams that align with the service’s six modernization priorities: Long-Range Precision Fires, next-generation combat vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, the network, air-and-missile defense, and soldier lethality.

The industry day, held Feb. 6-7 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with the Army’s Network Cross Functional Team — lead by Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher — and the Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical will seek to inform industry of Army tactical network modernization needs and priorities, an Army release stated.

This industry day follows the major network review in which the Army decided to scrap the continued delivery of its tactical network, called the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical, because it was not up to snuff as compared with current threats, namely that of Russian jamming capabilities.

The Army is also looking at streamlining and revamping command post technology for integrating systems into a common interface.

“This industry forum will be the first of several topically focused CFT and program office technical exchange sessions to be held over the course of 2018,” said Paul Mehney, director of public communications for PEO-C3T.

The February industry day will provide industry insights as to specific threats the Army faces, and thus identify needed solutions and the Army’s priorities as they apply to tactical network modernization.

The first day of the event will focus on outlining the current network architecture and technical challenge areas such as emerging and future tactical wireless technologies and the state-of-mission command applications and infrastructure. The second day will shed light on focus areas for cross-functional teams in terms of tactical network challenges, to include a classified tactical radio electromagnetic signature session.

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