The Army’s effort to modernize its network in the face of growing adversarial threats continues to be hindered by a slow effort to leverage industry, according to Army Chief Information Officer (CIO) Lt. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford.
Crawford believes a different approach is required to meet priorities for Army network modernization, including establishing mobility for command posts, fixing resiliency of satellite communications and developing a universal mission command suite.
“This is a 16 year problem in need of a one-year solution given the urgency. This is one of the very first times that we’ve been focused on how we go about delivering the network,” said Crawford at an Association of the United States Army conference Monday.
To better execute network modernization, the Army must focus on consolidating information technology (IT) requirements and establish cross-functional teams to begin better leveraging industry’s technological capabilities.
Crawford’s greatest concern is waiting too long to take advantage of the technology needed to modernize the tactical network, one which he says isn’t currently capable of working in a highly contested environment against peer adversaries.
“We’ve concluded that the network we currently provide does not meet the operational requirements of our Army, nor will it meet the current or future requirements based on the path that we’re currently on,” said Crawford. “At our current state, we’re not postured to maximize the intellectual and technological might of our private sector.”
Last week, Army officials proposed cutting into the funding for its Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Increment 2 (WIN-T2) enhanced communications program, because of concerns that the system can’t face threats a near-peer adversary would pose (Defense Daily, Oct. 4).
A critical step in modernization may include changing network requirements to be less technical in nature and more threat-informed, according to Gen. John Morrison, commanding general of the Army’s Cyber Center of Excellence
Future requirements would go through Morrison’s Cyber Center of Excellence then run by the Mission Command Center of Excellence before being integrated throughout the Army.
“The requirements, the vast majority of them were developed many years ago and really have not been updated over the course of time,” said Morrison. “As a proponent for cyber and electronic warfare, in many cases we are outgunned by peer adversaries. We must do something to make our network more survivable, because maneuver operations will depend on it in the future.”
Innovation from partners will help accomplish the most pressing modernization priorities, according to Crawford. The Army CIO cited mobility and survivability of electromagnetic signatures at command posts, resiliency of satellite communications capabilities and development of a common mission command suite as among the top priorities.
A transition to a best-value approach with industry will begin to help modernization efforts, according to Morrison.
“We don’t have to invent it in the Army. If somebody else has already figured it out, we need to go ahead and adapt it. It’s a buy, try decide model after we make sure it can scale up to the size of what the Army needs,” said Morrison.