VIRGINIA (Washington Insider Magazine) – The Pentagon’s weapon tester gave the Army’s upgraded tactical network approach a failing grade in its yearly report, claiming that the service must overcome multiple hurdles to ensure operational effectiveness, appropriateness, and survivability.
The Army’s integrated tactical network was evaluated before being fielded to units in FY21, according to the Office of the Director, Operational Test, and Evaluation’s fiscal 2021 annual report.
Using a variety of program-of-record technologies and commercial off-the-shelf solutions, the Army’s battlefield network is being modernized through the integrated tactical network. The Army has created capability sets, which are evolutionary builds and distribution of capability to divisions on 2-year cycles to establish a foundation of technology and integrate advancement as it arrives, under this idea. Infantry brigades were the focus of Capability Set ’21, Stryker vehicle formations in Capability Set ’23, and armored units in Capability Set ’25.
The Army originally planned a series of operational demonstration test events to facilitate quick mobilization of assets to troops for Capability Set ’21, according to DOT&E. However, real-world occurrences, such as test unit deployments, prohibited the service from holding the event in January 2020, according to the article. Instead, the Army organized a capstone event in March 2021, although it lacked a DOT&E-approved test plan.
As a result, there was insufficient information to assess the usage of the integrated tactical network, or ITN, at the unit or brigade level.
The Army is designing a test and evaluation plan to address the lack of an adversarial evaluation of the ITN in a disputed electromagnetic spectrum environment, according to the DOT&E. Furthermore, the leader radio is sensitive in a cyber-contested setting, whereas the Manpack can withstand some cyber threats, according to the paper.
However, both are sensitive in a crowded electromagnetic spectrum, according to the report.
Mehney has said that the Army is partnering with Army Test and Evaluation Command and DOT&E to develop a test strategy for Capability Set ’23. To inform fielding decisions, the set’s new ITN components will be evaluated using a blend of instrumented lab activities, soldier touchpoints, technical tests and cyber and electromagnetic activities.
Officials earlier claimed that the program office has matured its threat-based assessment and assessment in a cyber and electromagnetic spectrum setting as a result of DOT&E comments. This will be part of the implementation strategy for Capability Set ’23, which will continue to evolve via future capability sets.
