St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri) April 14, 2003
Understanding The Fourth Infantry Division's Tactical Internet
Over the last decade, one of the top priorities of the U.S. Army has been the establishment of a digital information network. This allows the Army to pass critical battlefield data to every member of its force that is connected to the network, thus enabling it to react faster and get inside the decision loop of an opposing force. This network is called the Tactical Internet (TI) and it provides the location of friendly troops and enemy troops through a complex system of wireless communication components.
GPS
Global Positioning Satellites have a huge role in the TI. They provide the locations of friendly and enemy forces on the ground. Friendly forces use a Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver (PLGR) to transmit their location to GPS satellites. GPS coordinates for enemy forces are provided when they are spotted by allied troops, planes, helicopters or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
AIRBORNE SICGARS
Just as Link-16 allows Navy and Air Force pilots to see an on-screen representation of the battlefield, Army helicopter pilots use an airborne version of SINCGARS (see description below) to connect to the TI. The system, in conjunction with other components, allows pilots to provide close air support to troops on the ground by enabling them to distinguish friendly forces from enemy forces.
LINK-16
Aircraft from the Navy or Air Force can tap into the TI unsing a communications data link called Link-16. Pilots get an accurate picture of the battlefield with friendly and enemy forces indicated bia GPS coordinates. The system goies a long way in helping avoid friendly fire incidents. Pilots who spot previously unidentified enemy forces can transmit their position to other friendly forces via the TI using Link-16.
SINCGARS
The Single Channel Ground and Airborn Radio System is the Army's primary combat net radio. It serves as the first link of communication between troops using the TI. It can send and receive voice or email-type data communications. It can be mounted in vehicles and aircraft or worn as a backpack by individual soldiers. SINCGARS works in conjunction with PLGRs to update GPS coordinates whenever data is sent or received.
EPLRS
The second link in the TI's communication chain is the Enhanced Position Location Reporting System. Mounted primarily in command vehicles, it distributes the data and voice communications transmitted by SINCGARS. Providing a fatter pipe for information to flow through, it basically functions like a router in a computer network, gathering and feeding data up and down the chain of command.
NTDRS
The third link in the TI's communication chain is the Near-Term Data Radio System. It is the fattest data pipe on the battlefield. Just as the EPLRS routes data sent via SINCGARS, the NTDR gathers the data from multiple EPLRS modules and distributes it up and down the TI. NTDRS are located at Tactical Operations Centers (TOCs) which are basically command posts that are positioned at various points near and around the battlefield.
FBCB2
The tangible result of all this data transfer is seen in the Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below System. The hardware and sofltware assembles all the data flowing around the battlefield and provides an on-screen, real-time display of the battlefield. Friendly forces are shown in one color (usually blue) and enemy forces are sown in another (usually red). It is mounted in nearly every vehicle and at every TOC.
POINT-TO-POINT DATA TRANSFER
Data a relayed over the TI via a point-to-point network using SINCGARS to send and receive information and EPLRS and NTDRS to be sure that information is delivered to the proper location. For example, if an Apache pilot spots enemy troops he could send a vice or text message via SIN GARS to all the friendly forces in the area. The signal simply bounces from one radio to the next until everyone in the network gets the message and sees the enemy's position displayed on the FBCB2 system.
If a unit is disabled, the data signal is simply rerouted to the next point in the network.
Command vehicles equipped with EPLRS can handle and route greater amounts of data more efficiently than vehicles equipped only with SINCGARS.
TOCs receive the most information. To be sure they can route this data properly, they're equipped with NTDRS which provides the greatest amount of bandwidth in the TI.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO, GRAPHIC; (1) Color Photo - SINCGARS (soldier with hand held radio); (2) Color Photo - EPLRS; (3) Color Photo - NTDRS; (4) Color Photo - FBCB2 - (computer) GRAPHIC (GRAPHICS); (5) Color Graphic / Illustration by John D. Telford / Post-Dispatch - POINT-TO-POINT DATA TRANSFER; GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE; F/A - 18E SUPER HORNET; AH-64D APACHE LONGBOW; M1A2 ABRAMS MAIN BATTLE TANKS; TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER (TOC); Sources: ITT Industries, Raytheon, U.S. Army, GlobalSecurity.org. The Washington Post. National Defense Magazine, Federation of American Scients Military Analysis Network, Jane's International Defense Review; Post-Dispatch research: Anne Wickersham and John D. Telford
Copyright © 2003, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
