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LEADERSHIP
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ABOUT USINDOPACOM
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JTF - RED HILL
31st MEU | Live-fire deck shoot aboard USS San Diego
31st MEU | Live-fire deck shoot aboard USS San Diego
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George Washington Conducts Helicopter Operations
George Washington Conducts Helicopter Operations
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USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returns to Naval Base Guam
USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returns to Naval Base Guam
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USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Philippine Sea
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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31st MEU | F-35B Lightning IIs conduct rapid flight operations
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Sailors man the rails aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), as the ship pulls into Pearl Harbor
Sailors man the rails aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), as the ship pulls into Pearl Harbor
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Travis AFB sends KC-46 across the Pacific to train with Misawa F-16s
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KAMANDAG 9: MRF-D 25.3 and PMC conduct a counter-landing live-fire defense
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Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane Performs joint flight operations with French Navy off the coast of Tahiti
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506th EARS Refuel A-10s across the Pacific
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Salaknib 25 | Final Assault
Salaknib 25 | Final Assault
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MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, conduct raid with VMM-363 during Southern Jackaroo
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QUART: CH53s Conduct Deck Landing Qualifications Aboard USS Harpers Ferry
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31st MEU | F-35B night flight operations
31st MEU | F-35B night flight operations
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MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, VMM-363 conduct air assault rehearsals during Predator’s Walk
MRF-D 25.3: 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, VMM-363 conduct air assault rehearsals during Predator’s Walk
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Conducts Vertical Replenishment Training
Conducts Vertical Replenishment Training
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Activated Reserve Marines Conduct Live Fire MOUT during Korea Viper 25.4
Activated Reserve Marines Conduct Live Fire MOUT during Korea Viper 25.4
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PACAF F-16 Demo Team conducts final flight after 30 years of enhancing U.S. relations worldwide
PACAF F-16 Demo Team conducts final flight after 30 years of enhancing U.S. relations worldwide
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KAMANDAG 9: VMM-364 Inserts Marines into Basco Island, Philippines
KAMANDAG 9: VMM-364 Inserts Marines into Basco Island, Philippines
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Operational Test Launch GT 253 is a 'Glory Trip' for wing
Operational Test Launch GT 253 is a 'Glory Trip' for wing
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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Governor's Memorial Day Ceremony
Governor's Memorial Day Ceremony
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KAMANDAG 9: 3d LCT conducts high explosive battle drills
KAMANDAG 9: 3d LCT conducts high explosive battle drills
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Activated Reserve Marines Conduct CBRN Response Training with U.S. Army during Korea Viper 25.4
Activated Reserve Marines Conduct CBRN Response Training with U.S. Army during Korea Viper 25.4
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USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations
USS America (LHA 6) Conducts Flight Operations
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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Four Chaplains: Norwegian Foot March
Four Chaplains: Norwegian Foot March
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U.S., Japan display interoperability during Friendship Jump 2025
U.S., Japan display interoperability during Friendship Jump 2025
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FF25: Blaze of Friendship
FF25: Blaze of Friendship
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Blue Ridge Arrives in Wellington, New Zealand for the First Time
Blue Ridge Arrives in Wellington, New Zealand for the First Time
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Activated Reserve Marines Conduct MOUT Training during Korea Viper 25.4
Activated Reserve Marines Conduct MOUT Training during Korea Viper 25.4
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U.S. Marines Execute Casualty Evacuation Training during Jungle Leaders Course
U.S. Marines Execute Casualty Evacuation Training during Jungle Leaders Course
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31st MEU Boat Company conducts Small Boat Skills during MEUEX
31st MEU Boat Company conducts Small Boat Skills during MEUEX
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F-35B Lightning IIs fly over Wake Island
F-35B Lightning IIs fly over Wake Island
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USS Minnesota (SSN 783) returns to Naval Base Guam
USS Minnesota (SSN 783) returns to Naval Base Guam
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EOD members conduct fast-rope ops onto USS Nimitz in South China Sea
EOD members conduct fast-rope ops onto USS Nimitz in South China Sea
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Balikatan 25: 3d LCT and 25th ID Conduct Counter Landing Live Fire Event with AFP
Balikatan 25: 3d LCT and 25th ID Conduct Counter Landing Live Fire Event with AFP
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31st MEU conducts quick response force rehearsal for MEUEX
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BTF 25-2: Seventh Mission Operations
BTF 25-2: Seventh Mission Operations
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Balikatan 25: Counter Landing Live Fire Exercise
Balikatan 25: Counter Landing Live Fire Exercise
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Balikatan 25: B Co. 3-25 exfils Gimlets
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Nimitz Conducts Flight Operations
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U.S. Air Force participates in Freedom Flag 25-1
U.S. Air Force participates in Freedom Flag 25-1
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Nimitz Conducts Search and Rescue Training
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Balikatan 25: U.S., Philippine, Australian Forces Conduct Counter Landing Live Fire Exercise
Balikatan 25: U.S., Philippine, Australian Forces Conduct Counter Landing Live Fire Exercise
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Staging
Staging
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MQ-9 maintainers, planners integrate during Freedom Flag 25-1
MQ-9 maintainers, planners integrate during Freedom Flag 25-1
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MRF-D 25.3: Marines conduct on-off drills
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Balikatan 25: 353rd SOW, Philippine Special Forces Regiment conduct static line jump training
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Balikatan 25: MADIS initial live fire drill
Balikatan 25: MADIS initial live fire drill
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MRF-D 25.3: Marines conduct on-off drills
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Balikatan 25: Marines deploy NMESIS to Basco
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Balikatan 25: JOTC Completes HELOCAST Insertion Training
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Balikatan 25: MRF – D 25.3, ADF conduct air insert into Rizal
Balikatan 25: MRF – D 25.3, ADF conduct air insert into Rizal
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PACOM Stories
Warrior Information Network-Tactical Secure Communications System through Its Paces
04 April 2018
From Sean Kimmons
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- During a recent field test highlighting the Army's push for more distributed mission command, a 25th Infantry Division brigade successfully held secure communications between light combat vehicles at three sites thousands of miles apart.
The teleconference over the Army's mobile tactical network allowed brigade leaders in Hawaii to speak on a secret line with battalion leaders inside specially-configured Humvees as they conducted training in Louisiana and Thailand.
As the service's first brigade to fully field a lighter version of the Warrior Information Network-Tactical, or WIN-T, the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team has been testing what the new equipment can do since November.
"It enables the commander to receive information to make more informed and timely decisions, and have collaborative meetings and sessions while away from the actual tactical operations center," said Maj. Michael Fraas, the brigade's S-6 officer.
LIGHTER SYSTEM
The lighter components of the networking gear come as part of WIN-T Increment 2, which includes a lighter tactical communications node, or TCN, and network operations and security center, or NOSC.
Much of the capabilities can be used "on-the-move" as the mobile command post maneuvers to another location. Previous systems could only work "at-the-halt" or when vehicles are stationary.
The lighter version is also fitted onto Humvees, which can be sling-loaded and transported by helicopter. Heavier WIN-T systems have previously been placed in larger vehicles, such as the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles, or FMTV.
The 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team has also since been fielded with the lighter version. Additional priority light infantry Brigade Combat Teams will receive the gear over the next several years, according to Paul Mehney, spokesman for the Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical office.
"Reducing system size, weight, power and complexity to enable delivery of the TCN and NOSC lite kits was in direct response to operational user needs to better enable airborne and light infantry 'fight tonight' maneuver capability," Mehney said.
As part of the Army network modernization strategy, he said, production of the WIN-T Increment 2 capability will halt this fiscal year. Procurement includes enough systems to finish fielding to all regular component infantry and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams by fiscal 2021.
Armor Brigade Combat Teams will remain on Increment 1, but will be "pure-fleeted" on the Joint Battle Command-Platform -- the Army's next-generation friendly force tracking system -- to provide enhanced on the move situational awareness, chat, and Blue Force Tracking capability.
The program and the Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence Cross-Functional Team is currently working with industry partners and the science and technology community to further enhance the network transport capability.
"The goal is to make network systems as modular as possible with well-defined, standards-based, hardware and software interfaces," Mehney said. "This will enable competing vendors the best possible chance of identifying and providing well integrated improvements over time."
ON-THE-MOVE CAPABILITY
In Hawaii, the lighter systems have made it easier for signal Soldiers to perform their duties for the light infantry brigade.
The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team has eight of the systems and 36 key-leader vehicles, which are mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles that can receive line-of-sight and satellite communication from the systems.
"We've been putting it through its paces and learning some of its unique properties in the past couple of months," Fraas said, "and we're going to continue to do that for the foreseeable future."
Portable satellites that automatically find a signal in the field as well as 30-foot masts that can relay tactical Wi-Fi internet access to nearby key-leader vehicles also come with the systems.
New capabilities also allow battalions to access satellite communications that were once only found at the brigade level.
The enhanced equipment on a smaller chassis was ideal for the brigade, which switched from a Stryker to a light infantry unit about a year ago.
"That's the big win for us," Fraas said of the lighter system. "Now we have this mission command on-the-move capability and robust satellite capability pushed down to the battalion level."
In May, the brigade is expected to test and provide feedback on an experimental prototype of an early entry command post vehicle, which is basically an upgrade to the TCN-lite system. That system, he said, is intended to better counter electronic warfare threats than the current version.
QUICKER SET-UP
Compared to previous systems, the lighter version has drastically cut set-up time for units to get onto the tactical network.
"It's just a 100 percent improvement all the way around," said Sgt. Cody McCarty, who operates one of the brigade's TCN-lite kits. "It's more efficient to set up, to tear down, and to get communications up."
With WIN-T Increment 1, it could take about three hours to set up, while the lighter version can be ready to go in half the time.
"Once we got this, it was shocking how we [were able to] set up," said Sgt. Gary Membreve, in charge of the system's satellite tactical terminal. "It was just push a few buttons and there you go, you're on the satellite."
During a training exercise in mid-March, McCarty explained the system can provide users the ability to send emails, pictures or voice calls over a secure tactical internet.
"If you can think of anything that you can do on your cell phone, you can do it in the system," he said. "Cell phones aren't a secure method of communication, especially on the battlefield, so TCN-lite takes care of that and it becomes your cell phone."
The brigade, he said, plans to pass on any knowledge or tips they learn from the system to other signal Soldiers who may one day use it.
"It's been an eye opening experience," McCarty said. "I'm really excited to see where we can take it."
The major described the lighter system as the next step in warfighting communications technology, but not the last.
The Army's goal, he said, is to have a mobile command post and network that can be set up within 30 minutes.
"Are we there yet with Increment 2? Not quite," he said. "Are we moving in the right direction? I would say yes."
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