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An Okinawa-based Marine intelligence unit was recently recognized with an award for innovation due to their efforts utilizing unorthodox methods to fill critical gaps for Maritime Domain Awareness.
Marines with Battlespace Surveillance Company, 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, received the Marine Corps Information Environment Enterprise Innovation Award, which is given to an intelligence unit that sets new standards in potential areas of innovation including organizational, training, and technology.
The innovation award was a category under the 2022 Marine Corps Association Information Awards. Winners were announced Feb. 27, 2023, via Marine Administrative Message 103/23.
Battlespace Surveillance Company’s mission is to provide persistent intelligence through Over-the-Horizon and multidomain collection operations that include the use of manned and unmanned organic sensors and platforms in order to reduce uncertainty for supported commanders.
Falling within the spirit and intent of the Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030, the Marines of Battlespace Surveillance Company implemented unique solutions to critical problems within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of operations. Filling sensor coverage gaps, the company leveraged commercial-off-the-shelf solutions.
“The company didn’t do this for an award or recognition. This has never been the reason why we do things,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Gonzalez, the Battlespace Surveillance Co. commander. “The Marines are problem solvers, they identified collection gaps within the First Island Chain which they wanted to fill.”
The innovation started when the company, comprising of three different platoons, Ground Sensor, Meteorological and Oceanographic, and Maritime Surveillance, identified two separate and critical gaps in the maritime domain.
“Within the Maritime Surveillance Platoon perseverance is key,” said Cpl. Andrew Jeter a meteorological equipment technician with Battlespace Surveillance Co. “Nothing is guaranteed to work the first time, there will be roadblocks. You need to have the drive and focus to turn the system that you’re working on into a viable solution.”
The first gap filled by Battlespace Surveillance Co. was detecting unknown vessels in the maritime domain. To do so, the Marines spent endless hours researching, fabricating, and testing different concepts. The company utilized commercial maritime radars to start filling in collection gaps.
Second, the Marines partnered with a leading institution in oceanography research and education to collect on oceanographic data. Battlespace Surveillance Company obtained and deployed an oceanographic sensor for littoral forecasting models that were previously untapped.
“It takes a lot of sensors to cover down on various bodies of water. Our piece inside of the holistic U.S. INDOPACOM sensor posture is going to be centered around the first island chain,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Kirby, a platoon commander with Battlespace Surveillance Co. “We can ensure that we are there as a deterrence and to collect if we transition to conflict.”
Marines of Battlespace Surveillance Co. were surprised by the award. Earning it has further motivated them in finding more unique solutions focused on the Pacing Threat as a part of the Stand-in Force for III MEF.
“There are no words that amount to the pride I feel,” said Gonzalez. “The Marines’ dedication and hard work are unmatched… This is not a destination; this is a journey. This is not an end state for them.”
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2023 23:25 |
| Story ID: | 441403 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Filling the Gaps: U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence Unit is Awarded for Their Innovation, by LCpl Reine Whitaker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
