News From USJFCOM: Command interoperability demonstration underway


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Command interoperability demonstration underway

USJFCOM’s annual Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration features interoperability trials focused on assessing developing technology solutions against C4ISR capability gaps as identified by combatant commanders, services, agencies and coalition partners. The two-week demonstration runs through June 26.

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By Army Sgt. Josh LeCappelain
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(NORFOLK, Va. - June 14, 2010) -- A two-week long Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored demonstration is underway at the U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM)'s Joint Systems Integration Center (JSIC) in Suffolk, Va.

The Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) is a Joint Chiefs of Staff event featuring interoperability trials to assess developing technology solutions against command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capability gaps as identified by combatant commanders, services, agencies and coalition partners.

Chris Boggs, U.S. CWID plans officer, stressed the importance of the trials and how they relate to communication efforts.

"CWID is an annual event to evaluate material solutions which can improve decision making and ensure communication between joint and coalition partners is seamless and unimpeded," he said. "It enables combatant commanders and the coalition community to investigate command and control (C2) solutions to enhance coalition interoperability and information sharing through rigorous assessment and evaluation."

USJFCOM provides oversight to the CWID program on behalf of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As the DOD's C2 Capability Portfolio Manager, USJFCOM uses CWID as an initial demonstration to assess information technology in an integrated environment to determine its potential before offering it to the warfighter through the Defense Acquisition System, added Boggs.

"Mostly what CWID facilitates is the opportunity for our military program offices, as well as industry and some of our multinational partners, to bring their developing systems and conduct three types of assessments (interoperability, informational assurance and warfighter utility) against a baseline set of hardware and systems from the architecture standpoint," stated Boggs, adding that the actual assessment period will be June 14 - 24.

Marine Corps Maj. Adam Pitney, CWID warfighting utility assessment lead and JSIC site lead, said CWID looks for technologies interoperable with current U.S. and coalition partner technologies.

"We are trying to work interoperability with our coalition partners, but each nation has different preferences for what they want to do. What we do at this event isn't perfect, but we make an effort," said Pitney, noting that the team also works with partners in NATO's Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX), a similar annual event in Europe. "The CWIX event gives us a separate opportunity to target a specific interoperability case. If a nation has something to do and we have something we'd like to do, then CWID and CWIX provide an opportunity for us to work together to do it."

This year's CWID scenarios reflect combat situations in Afghanistan, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization response action on the Horn of Africa, and a homeland security/homeland defense storyline in North America. All scenarios are based on real-world situations simulated in a virtual environment.

Thirty-two technology trials are scheduled for CWID this year. Of these, 19 trials will occur at the JSIC site demonstrating the following capabilities:

Current operation picture/maritime domain awareness
Missile defense cueing with C2 systems
Tactical edge communications and knowledge management technologies
Cross domain technologies/secure communities of interest
Program of record spiral development and risk reduction

Boggs said an example of a technology tested at CWID now being used by warfighters is the Ready Responders Network from CWID 2009. It was implemented and used in Haiti to support unclassified information sharing following the earthquakes there earlier this year.

"If we find an information technology that can meet a warfighting gap and provide an interoperable solution, we can increase awareness of this potential solution through our final report," added Boggs. "We can then offer that solution to the command and control support agency acquisition house for consideration as a potential solution to that gap."

Additional U.S. sites participating in CWID include the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va.; Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego; the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.; and U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colo.