MG Barbara Fast Deputy Director / Chief of Staff US Army Capabilities Integration Center Fort Monroe, Virginia

The Challenge Joint Collaborative Environment Special Operations Forces CFLCC CFACC The joint land campaign will be planned and conducted by a coalition of ground forces, linked to a robust network through which all forces, at all echelons leverage information and data to provide common understanding and enhance our interoperability. The Army’s participates in the Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental and Multi-national (JIIM) operational environment and requires an end-to-end set of information capabilities to enable it. This view represents the operational challenge, that includes linkages to the joint and interagency and multi-national (JIM) community. Platoons/Squads Soldiers The “Network” provides a decisive advantage through decision superiority, situational awareness, information, speed, and access to Joint capabilities.

Major Interoperability Challenge We currently do not have a single integrated Battle Command System (BCS). Multiple systems within the Army Battle Command Systems (ABCS) Eleven major programs of record (POR) and a number of smaller non-POR systems. Our requirement to operate in a joint collaborative environment has resulted in numerous excursions to provide “means” to support “needs.” Lessons learned have been invaluable in assisting us to move – not only our thinking but our development approach - away from “stovepipes,” Although we have made great strides over the years in working the interoperability of ABCS, we still have a BC system that creates burdens for the commander and their staffs in tactical decision making. Currently, we are not resolving the interoperability problem in a proactive manner: We add to the problem every time a system is allowed to introduce system specific new capabilities/features without addressing the holistic affects on the battlefield We continue to add systems capabilities that are focused on stove-pipe capabilities The introduction of unit-specific systems adds to the problem of non-interoperability We cannot successfully execute and implement a “modular force” Army if we do not become proactive in resolving the interoperability issues Acronyms GCCS: Global Command & Control System NECC: Network-Enabled Command Capability NCES: Net-Centric Enterprise Services SOSCOE: System of Systems Common Operating Environment FCS: Future Combat System BC: Battle Command FBCB2: Force XXI BC Brigade & Below JBC-P: Joint BC – Platform BCS3: BC Sustainment Support System