Capability Set Development

Description

Product Manager Capability Set Development formally assigns staff and resources to manage technical integration in support of the Army’s desire to introduce significant new network capabilities every two years through capability sets. The product office works across the PEO’s project management offices to promote synergy in planning, execution and risk management, and serve as a touch point for systems engineering, design, and testing.

The Army fielded Capability Set 21 to seven brigade combat teams and partially fielded to one Stryker regiment in FY21 and FY22, plus six Expeditionary Signal Battalions-Enhanced. CS21 improves expeditionary capability and makes the network simple and more intuitive. Communications systems are smaller, lighter and faster. Soldiers find that applications and network devices are easier to learn and use, and commanders of infantry formations are provided more connectivity options to ensure they can communicate in any environment.

Capability Set 23 fielding is underway with one full Stryker regiment and one BCT, with additional BCTs plus experimentation with divisions as a unit of action planned for the remainder FY23 and FY24. Capability Set 23 (CS23) is building upon advances in expeditionary capabilities and intuitiveness to increase capacity, resiliency and convergence of the network. CS23 will increase bandwidth to support sensor data, graphics and video, and will establish additional communication routes through satellites to provide multiple transport paths, improving resiliency. Fielding of the ITN to mounted formations will extend the distance and range of units, thereby increasing mobility for maneuver. Units at the edge will have more agile computing environments because of access to a tactical cloud. Mesh networking and hardening of radios and other systems decreases vulnerabilities and susceptibility to jamming. Converged mission command applications, integrated intelligence data, and an enhanced common operational picture ensure usable information supports warfighter decision-making, underpinned by timely and accurate data.

CS23 helps to provide a more robust transport layer to support the requirements of the Army’s other modernization priorities.

Capabilities

Capability Set 21: Expeditionary and Intuitive

  • Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) fielded to select BCTs
  • Initial fielding of the common operating environment through command post computing environment and across handheld and mounted environments
  • Enhanced satellite communication (SATCOM) capability for Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced units
  • Software update for resilient SATCOM over existing terminals
  • Initial onsite cloud (edge) agile computing environment that provides distributed mission command
  • Foundation for command posted mobility and survivability improvements
  • Improved tactical network transport to prepare for integration of IVAS

Capability Set 23: Capacity & Resiliency

  • Initial commercial SATCOM at-the-halt, providing high capability communications
  • Continued ITN fielding to Infantry and Stryker BCTs; field tailored ITN for mounted BCTs that optimizes capabilities to meet operational distance and pace, improved aerial tier, and expanded network operations between tactical and enterprise
  • Introduction of C4ISR/Electronic Warfare Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS), a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) that will converge select Army warfighting capabilities
  • Introduction of hardened radio capabilities, including mesh network, into all formations and improvements in anti-jamming for waveforms (including Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System)
  • Convergence of mission command applications to set conditions for Joint-All Domain Operations
  • Thickening the transport layer to provide additional artificial intelligence and beyond line of sight for manned/unmanned vehicles, fires, missiles and small aircraft

Capability Set 25: Automated & Protected

  • Continued ITN fielding
  • Armor formation network modernization
  • High-tempo, data-driven decision tools to increase cyber threat visibility
  • Hardened command post improvements and reduction of footprint
  • Initial integration of network with future mid-size transport assets

Capability Set 27: Multi-Domain Dominance

  • Non-traditional waveforms that are spectrum efficient with higher bandwidth, anti-jamming capabilities, and low probability of detection
  • Field-integrated AI and ML capabilities and tools to enhance decision-making
  • Hardened 5G or equivalent
  • Dispersed mission command computing in command posts in disadvantaged environments
  • Convergence of all warfighting function applications into a Common Operating Environment