Governors briefed on tactical communications upgrades

Photo By Mary Barkley | Ifeanyi Igwulu, Operation Enduring Freedom lead for Program Manager Capability Suite 13 Lower and Upper Tier, demonstrates how Soldiers use CS 13 in missions to Governors Bill Haslam, Tennessee, Brian Sandoval, Nevada and Jay Nixon, Missouri on Sept 28 at 3-401st Army Field Support Battalion. Capability Suite 13 the Army’s first package of network components, associated equipment and software that provides integrated connectivity from the static tactical operations center to the commander on-the-move to the dismounted Soldier.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

09.28.2014

Story by Mary Barkley 

401st Army Field Support Brigade

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan--Undersecretary of the Army Brad Carson, and Governors Andrew Cuomo (New York), Bill Haslam (Tennessee), Jay Nixon (Missouri), and Brian Sandoval (Nevada)), learned how Capability Suite 13 provides fully integrated network components, equipment and software to continuously link the dismounted Soldier to the tactical operations center during their visit to 3-401st Army Field Support Battalion Sept. 28.

“The purpose of the CS13 demonstration was to provide the Undersecretary of the Army and the governors an opportunity to see vehicles with the CS 13 Point of Present and Network Soldier Extension Lower Tactical Internet [systems], said Richard Z. Miles, Southwest Asia liaison officer for Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical. “CS13 is a packet of network components, associated equipment and software that provides an integrated network capability from the static Tactical Operation Center to the dismounted Soldier.”

The equipment is fielded to Brigade Combat Teams and Combat Aviation Teams and consists of a variety of components designed to match the unit and individual Soldier’s communication and connectivity needs. The integrated package can be tailored to Soldier’s specific responsibilities while on mission and may contain radios, satellite systems, software applications, smart phone type devices and other network components.

After Miles provided an overview, Ifeanyi Igwulu, Operation Enduring Freedom lead for Program Manager Capability Suite 13 Lower and Upper Tier, demonstrated how the equipment is used by Soldiers in vehicles to communicate with other vehicles, dismounted Soldiers and the tactical operations center in the rear.

The governors were very interested in seeing how this equipment is used by Soldiers who are deployed from their states as well as meeting some of their constituents who are assigned to 401st Army Field Support Brigade and 3-401st AFSBn.

• Date Taken: 09.28.2014
• Date Posted: 10.11.2014 05:34
• Story ID: 144904
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF