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In 2011, the Brigade Modernization Command began the Network
Integration Evaluation, or NIE, based on guidance from the Army, to
integrate tests on networks for brigade-level units and below
primarily focused on mission command system of systems and other
emerging network capabilities.
"The idea was fairly simple,
how can we get down to at least one set of networks within the
brigade combat teams,” said Douglas L. Fletcher, BMC Chief of Staff.
“As you can imagine, if everyone is different, think about how much
that costs and most importantly, can you talk to one another."
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May 8, 2016 - A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, sets an unmanned
observer drone during the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 16.2
at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Army used the NIE process to integrate,
validate, and refine enhanced network capabilities to meet the
operational needs of Soldiers in the field. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Henrquie Luiz de Holleben)
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Conducting NIEs two times a year created an opportunity
for event-driven operational testing as opposed to
schedule-driven testing. For example, if a system was not
ready to enter operational testing at one NIE event, it
would have the opportunity to enter testing in a subsequent
NIE event. So far, 11 NIEs have been conducted at Fort
Bliss, Texas and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico
"Almost two years ago, TRADOC [U.S. Army Training and
Doctrine Command] determined that for us to look forward
into the future, we needed to extend our vision in the Army
of where do we want to be,” Fletcher said. “This is called
Force 2025 and Beyond. So we went on to try new things in
terms of how we want to fight, how we are organized and what
are the capabilities we want as an Army and that idea became
to be the Army Warfighting Assessment.”
AWA 17.1 is
the Chief of Staff of the Army's annual capstone exercise
that will focus on the refinement and improvement of
concepts and capabilities in an operationally relevant and
demanding scenario, beyond the constraints of the NIE's
formal testing environment.
The AWAs enable the Army
to increase the pace of innovation through early engagement
with industry, government, other services and multinational
partners.
More than 5,000 personnel have been
participating in this year's exercise, including elements
from I Corps and 1st Armored Division, along with joint
participation from Marine Corps, Air Force and Special
Operations units, as well as five multinational partners
from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, and the United
Kingdom.
"This is an important exercise that soldiers
should be excited to be a part of, not just for the training
aspect, but for the fact that they're informing the future
army leaders on what the army will use and how the joint
force will fight in the future and that in itself is
exciting," said Col. Keith R. Jarolimek, BMC, Chief of
Operations.
Jarolimek emphasized how the AWA is
helping to shape the battlefield of the future, as the Army
keeps current with ever-changing technologies and
warfighting challenges.
The evolution of the AWA is
to maintain readiness in an operationally realistic and
rigorous exercise, enabling Soldier-led assessments of
concepts and capabilities for future force development and
while AWA will not replace NIE, the Army will continue to do
NIEs only once a year instead of two.
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cashmere Jefferson
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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