WASHINGTON – A part of preparations to fight against near-peer enemies, theUS Army is testing secure Wi-Fi networks in battlefield exercises, theservice said in a recent announcement.
“The key benefit provided by secure Wi-Fi is the velocity that it brings”to communication networks infantry commanders use to relay information.Every time the brigade command post moved positions on a simulatedbattlefield, the Wi-Fi network allowed commanders to reach key missioncommand systems in minutes as opposed to the hours it took when commandershad to wire a command post to get access to certain networks, Military.comreported Thursday.
The pilot exercises to improve battlefield communication networks endedin late November, the Army said this week.
“Lack of mobility and agility are amongst the biggest factors makingtoday’s large command posts vulnerable in near-peer threat environments,”Lt. Col. Mark Henderson said in a news release, adding that secure Wi-Fi”increases mobility and flexibility.”
Without wireless tech setup, troops have to lug around network cable boxesweighing hundreds of pounds, ultimately reducing the pace of operations.
A secure wireless network is not exactly groundbreaking technology.Integrating technologies with fighting units, though, requires meeting theactual needs of the warfighter instead of designing a system and tellingthe warfighter to use it.
It’s important not to decide what the physical form of something lookslike before your understand the functional requirements,” according to Col.Michael Ernst, US Army training manager for Mission Command/Command Posts.
“We’re spending a lot of intellectual energy understanding how decisionsare made, how commanders and organizations pass information, how they useknowledge,” Ernst said last May, “and then try to design systems thatenable that rather than design the system and then force people to use it.”