Photo By Sgt. April Price | A Marine with Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, guards and regulates the...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marines with Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division conducted a field exercise, Steel Knight 15, with support from 1st Marine Logistics Group and 3rd Marine Air Wing to implement digital interoperability with ground forces.
The purpose of the exercise is to test and improve communication links and the ability to control and contact aviation and ground direct fires with support from 1st MLG and 3rd MAW to fulfill digital interoperability with ground forces and improve overall combat efficiency and readiness of the division in concert with the MAGTF.
“There’s a short-term and a long-term goal when it comes to digital interoperability,” said Maj. Nathan B. Cahoon, a Marine with 1st Marine Division and the G-6 operations officers during Steel Knight. “The main goal is to allow all systems and everyone on the battlefield to be able to talk and share the same information.”
Each vehicle, whether it be a tank or an airplane, host different devices and radios for communication which can cause a gap in communication or a lack of it all together. Adding grounds and air sensors will help to provide the ability to share data, imagery, and being able to talk digitally.
“A lot can happen within 700 miles of an aircraft in flight,” said Cahoon. “While they’re in the air, an intelligence unit could have received word that the enemy has changed locations, but by the time that aircraft was to land and receive that update once they’ve reached the objective, the enemy could have reinforced or left.”
Although coming up with a new system to provide universal communication seems like the only outcome, Cahoon states that Maj. Gen. Lawrence Nicolson wants the Marines to use what they have, but make it better to suit their needs for mission completion.
Communication is a key element for both mission readiness and completion. It’s important for all of the military units to have an effective way to share and pass information from one unit to the next.
“Communication just doesn’t happen. It requires a lot of coordination, training and planning which comes together to plays a huge role in successfully communicating,” said Col. George G. Malkasain, the assistant chief of staff for 1st Marine Division. “I think that one of the things we continuously relearn is we take for granted the little things, so identifying and capturing them for the next time is critical not only for our development, but the progression of bettering communications as a whole.”
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2014 19:53 |
| Story ID: | 150840 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 137 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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