WIN-T: Army passes milestone for mobile networking

The contracting team building the Army’s new high-speed communications network has successfully completed extensive tests of the project’s second phase and will begin limited user testing of those capabilities this month.

The team, led by General Dynamics, recently completed a developmental test of the mobile broadband network capability of the Warfighter Information Network–Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2, company officials said March 4. The test was conducted at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and lasted several months.

It consisted of building and operating a network with more than 35 nodes. A network of that size is capable of giving commanders at all echelons of an Army division the ability to communicate with units, command posts and command centers, company officials said.

WIN-T Increment 2 focuses on establishing mobile broadband network capability via satellite and radio links, while Increment 3 involves refining features related to mobility, security, and weight and power requirements.

Initial field-testing for Increment 2 will occur this year. Limited user testing for Increment 3 is slated for 2011.

The developmental test also included various experiments to determine the maturity of technologies and components that constitute WIN-T Increment 3, the officials said.

General Dynamics’ WIN-T team includes Lockheed Martin Corp., Harris Corp., L-3 Communications Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc.