Red Currahee Soldiers test commo equipment during NIE 16.1

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Matt Davio | MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – Spc. Corey Ezra, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (Red Currahee), 101st Airborne Division, sets up a First-In Agile Mission Command Package to provide communications with the rest of his battalion Oct. 1. The system, which can be carried in a backpack, is a combined baseband and satellite terminal, which is both modular and scaleable to meet various mission requirements. Ezra and his battalion were testing the equipment as part of the Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE 16.1., which ran from Sept. 25 to Oct. 8.  

MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

10.01.2015

Courtesy Story

16th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – It’s the middle of the night. There are firefights taking place all over the valley, the commander needs situational awareness of everything that is going on as quick as possible so he can make informed decisions. While he can’t physically be everywhere at once, thanks to technology, he can receive all the information he needs; almost as soon as it happens.

Some of the technology that is being used on the battlefield was tested by Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (Red Currahee), 101st Airborne Division, in the New Mexico desert during Network Integration Evaluation. More than 9,000 U.S. and coalition Soldiers participated in NIE 16.1, which began Sept. 25 and ran through Oct. 8.

One of the systems is an end user device that attaches to a leader’s body armor, allowing him to have situational awareness on the battle field.

The end user device is not new; it has been used by commanders and Soldiers for a few years now, but the software has been updated.

“I used one of these when I deployed in 2013,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Alan Michaud. “I think they’re great. It gives me the ability to see everyone in real space and time,” he said as he looked down at the phone-sized monitor attached to his vest.

“I am here,” he said pointing to a blue dot on the screen. “Up here is the fire fight ... Oh, someone just died.”

The system displays the locations of the Soldiers on the battlefield, and allows leaders to pass information back and forth to each other.

While the end user device allows a commander to see what is happening on a remote battle field, the First-In Agile Mission Command Package, or FIAMP, which can be carried in a backpack, is a combined baseband and satellite terminal, which is both modular and scalable to meet various mission requirements. This system allows commanders to receive and send messages from the rear over phone, or computer.

“The FIAMP is great,” said Spc. Corey Ezra, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment. “It is easy to set up, it’s quiet, and if you keep it covered up, no one will know you are here.”

Along with the FIAMP and the end user device the Red Currahee Soldiers also evaluated an all-terrain vehicle that allows units to track everything on the battlefield.

“These systems being tested are part of the Net Warrior Package,” said Sgt. 1st Class Harold Hollander, one of the observer/controllers assigned to evaluate the 506th during NIE. “It provides the ability to receive and view tactical information in real time.”

• Date Taken: 10.01.2015
• Date Posted: 10.08.2015 15:00
• Story ID: 178491
• Location: MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, US