Special Report: NIE 12.2
On-the-Move
Transformation
Test of WIN-T Increment 2 highlights ability to push and pull large files and big pieces of data to mobile units in the field. During the major operational test for Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2, the second generation of the Army’s tactical communication network backbone, Colonel Daniel Pinnell was able to command his troops from the front seat of his point of presence (PoP) vehicle, instead of being tethered to his brigade command post far from the edge of the battlefield. The PoP is a WIN-T Increment 2 configuration item to be installed on select platforms at division, brigade and battalion echelons. It enables mobile mission command by providing on-the-move network connectivity, both line-of-sight (terrestrial) and beyond line-of-sight (satellite). “[It’s an] incredibly fast ‘pipe’ for pushing and pulling large files and big pieces of data,” said Pinnell, commander of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division (2/1 AD), the maneuver unit for the test. “All of that ‘pipe,’ as we call it, allows me to push and pull very critical information—to see it and use it. That’s pretty darn impressive.” The three-week WIN-T Increment 2 initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) www.MIT-kmi.com
was conducted in May, with the main effort held at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), N.M., as part of Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 12.2. To truly stress and test the system, WIN-T Increment 2 nodes were also spread across 2,000 miles. At Fort Campbell, Ky., more than 1,300 miles away from the evaluations at WSMR, leaders of the 101st Airborne Division acted as higher headquarters issuing orders, via WIN-T Increment 2, to the WMSR-based brigade as it conducted operations. For the first time, the brigade leadership was able to download orders and send critical information to division headquarters while on the move in WIN-T Increment 2 equipped vehicles. During the event, Pinnell was able to increase his personal situational awareness through on-board mission command tools that enable reporting to come in from subordinate units on the battlefield in near real time. He often kept three chat rooms open simultaneously to watch his three primary units in action, he said, and also used a mapping function on board his PoP, which showed him where each of his individual
By Amy Walker soldiers, equipment or vehicles were located at any given time. “It has improved my situational awareness,” Pinnell said. “I can absolutely see this as being a major value added for commanders. It gave me a huge leap in understanding of where I was and I can use my prior experience with the enemy to guess where he would be and get there in front of him.” Similar to a home Internet connection, WIN-T Increment 1 provides soldiers with high-speed, high-capacity voice, data and video communications down to battalion level units at the halt. WIN-T Increment 2 introduces networking radios, enhances Network Operations (NetOps) for network planning and monitoring, pushes capability to the company level and supports operations while on the move. It is a vital piece of Capability Set 13—the first integrated group of network technologies out of the NIE and Agile process that will be fielded to eight Army brigade combat teams starting in October 2012. “WIN-T Increment 2 puts equivalent capability into mobile platforms, down to the company level, that had previously only MIT 16.7 | 23