This report provides an update on the work performed this year to strengthen, improve and simplify the U.S. Army's tactical communications backbone, the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T).
Introduction by Chris Marzilli
Stronger together. There has never been more truth in a statement than when I apply it to the accomplishments of the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) over the past year. June was particularly significant, as the Army received approval to proceed to full-rate production and continued fielding of WIN-T Increment 2, a high-priority, acquisition category one (ACAT-1D) program.
The power of WIN-T is that, for the first time, Army personnel can access the network from the moment they climb on board a C-17, parachute out, establish early-in operations, secure the area and begin their mission. WIN-T is the connective tissue that keeps soldiers protected, connected to real-time information, keeps commanders informed, and shifts the advantage decisively to our men and women in uniform.
A full-rate production decision for the WIN-T program clears the way for the continued fielding of the system to the entire Army at a cadence that fully supports their evolution into an agile, global, expeditionary force. In parallel with the Army's expeditionary vision, the size of the force is shrinking and with fewer boots on the ground, the value of cyber-secure, real-time information will be an absolute force multiplier, and to quote a soldier who deployed with WIN-T, a digital guardian angel.
Thousands of soldiers have had the opportunity to use WIN-T in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Korean Peninsula, in West Africa and at Army training centers across the country. Their feedback has led to the reduction of overall system complexity as well as improvements that make the system easier to use. For instance, some of the systems communication functions are similar to the way we use a smartphone at home to access a map, text with a friend and share family pictures. These improvements help the soldier fight extremely effectively, as well as take advantage of commercial wireless and broadband technologies that reduce system size, weight, power needs and overall cost.
The world stage is a fast-moving, complex combination of state actors that are tech-savvy, change sides, alter their identities and represent an unprecedented and very real threat to our nation's security and the security of our NATO and coalition partners. WIN-T is the strategic and tactical differentiator that will help commanders apply the full power of the Army to achieve security and force protection in all mission settings.
To fully realize the capability of the WIN-T system will require focus, attention and support of the entire Army and a strong partnership with industry to field it quickly to our soldiers who need it to prevail in the next fight.
We are very proud to have worked side by side with the Army, and more than 386 suppliers in 38 states, to put this life-saving, force-multiplying network communications capability into the hands of soldiers and their commanders.
I strongly encourage you to read more about WIN-T, the mobile, expeditionary soldiers network, in the pages ahead. You will learn firsthand that WIN-T is the foundational network modernization program that enables the warfighter to win in the most highly cluttered, dynamic and dangerous operational environments.
Sincerely,
Chris Marzilli
President, General Dynamics Mission Systems
