Integrated Tactical Network Explained

This material was split from Army Futures Command

The US Army's Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) "is not a new or separate network but rather a concept"—PEO C3T.^[1] Avoid overspecifying the requirements for Integrated Tactical Network Information Systems Initial Capabilities Document. Instead, meet operational needs, such as interoperability with other networks, and release ITN capabilities incrementally.

• Up through 2028, every two years the Army will insert new capability sets for ITN (Capability sets '21, '23, '25, etc.). and take feedback from Soldier-led experiment & evaluation. However, the Army's commitment to a 'campaign of learning' showed more paths:
  • Firestorm was made possible by a mesh network—improvising an MEO, and then a GEO satellite link between JBLM to YPG. There are plans to have a Project Convergence 2021. The Army fielded a data fabric at Project Convergence 2020; this will eventually be part of JADC2.
  • Five Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) awards were granted to five vendors via the Network CFT and PEO C3T's request for white papers. That request, for a roll-on/roll-off kit that integrates all functions of mission command on the Army Network, was posted at the National Spectrum Consortium and FedBizOpps, and yielded awards within eight months.^[2] Two more awards are forthcoming.^[3]
  • The Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO)'s Emerging Technologies Office structured a competition to find superior AI/Machine Learning algorithms for electronic warfare, from a field of 150 contestants, over a three-month period.^[4]
  • The Multi-Domain Operations Task Force (MDO TF) is standing up an experimental Electronic Warfare Platoon to prototype an estimated 1000 EW soldiers needed for the 31 BCTs of the active Army.^{[5] [6]}
• Capability Set '21 fields ITN to selected infantry brigades to prepare for IVAS Integrated vision goggles. Expeditionary signal brigades get enhanced satellite communications.
  • 1/82nd Airborne, 173rd Airborne, 3/25th ID, and 3/82nd Airborne infantry brigades will all have fielded the Integrated Tactical Network Capability Set '21 by year-end 2021.^[7] 2nd Cavalry Regiment is getting Capability Set '21 on Strykers, which will test the CS'23 network design on Strykers early.^[8]
• Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) Capability Set '23 is prototyping JADC2 communications and the data fabric, to LEO (low Earth orbit) and to MEO (medium Earth orbit) satellites, as continued in Project Convergence 2021 in Yuma Proving Ground. Capability Set '23 has passed its Critical design review (CDR).^[9]
• Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) Capability Set '25 will implement JADC2, according to the acting head of the Network CFT.
• Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) Capability Set '27 design goals are being laid out.^[10]

• G-6 John Morrison is seeking to unify the battlefield networks of ITN, and IEN (Enterprise Network), as of September 2021.^{[11] [12]}
  • An Army leader dashboard from PEO Enterprise Information Systems is underway.^{[13] [14]} The dashboard is renamed Vantage.^[15] The dashboard has streamlined and connected data updates for deployments.^[16] Vantage is to be replaced by Army Data Platform 2.0, using multiple vendors.^[17] Cloud-service-provider agnostic abstraction layers are in use, which allows merging the staff work in G-3/5/7 for cyber/EW (electronic warfare), mission command, and space. The "seamless, real-time flow of data" across multiple domains (land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace) is an objective for G-6, as well as the sensor-to-shooter work at Futures command.
  • Fort Irwin, Fort Hood, Joint Base San Antonio, and Joint Base Lewis McChord have 5G experiments on wireless connectivity between forward operating bases and tactical operations centers, as well as nonaircraft Augmented reality support of maintenance and training.^[18]
  • The Multi-domain task forces (MDTFs) will be used to expose any capability gaps in the Unified network plan.^{[19] [11]}

DISA is providing network services in preparation for JADC2, to USINDOPACOM.^[20]

Notes and References

1. PEO C3T (2018) Integrated Tactical Network "is not a new or separate network but rather a concept"
2. Kathryn Bailey, PEO C3T Public Affairs (17 October 2018) New players bring novel approaches to the Army's network modernization goals
3. Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. Army Applications Lab: (23 October 2018) Army Futures Command Wants YOU (To Innovate)
   • —Adam Jay Harrison's list for types of Funding Authority
4. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest, Army Rapid Capabilities Office (8 November 2018) Cutting through the noise: Army, industry work together to speed up signal detection
5. Sydney J. FREEDBERG JR. (19 November 2018) Can Army Afford The Electronic Warfare Force It Wants?
6. Anthony Small
7. Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. (20 May 2021) Paratroopers Pioneer New Army Network, Tactics HMS Manpack and Leader radios, ITN CS '21, can use variable height antenna drones, MUOS constellation: for tactical satellite communications — Andrew Eversden (24 Sep 2021) Army Drops Nearly $350M For New Radios After Two Years of Testing
8. Kathryn Bailey, PEO C3T Public Affairs (25 January 2022)Army's integrated network rolls on with Stryker vehicles
9. Colin Demarest (28 Apr 2022) US Army wraps review of 'future battlespace' network tools
10. Colin Demarest (10 May 2024) Thales doubles down on radio production as US Army rethinks its network
11. Andrew Eversden (23 Sep 2021) Top Army General: Network Modernization 'Never Going To Stop'
12. CIO and G-6 (8 Oct 2021) The Army Unified Network Plan: ENABLING MULTI-DOMAIN OPERATIONS
13. Ellen Summey, PEO EIS (1 July 2019) Army Leader Dashboard, creating insight-driven decisions
14. Lizette Chapman (13 December 2019) Palantir Wins New Pentagon Deal With $111 Million From the Army HR, supply chain, et al.
15. Billy Mitchell (DEC 26, 2019) Inside Palantir's support of the Army's massive data problem
16. Capt. Matthew Visser (30 Jul 2022) Reinventing Modern Deployment: Soldiers leverage Army Vantage to make data-driven decisions
17. Jaspreet Gill (4 Dec 2023) Army asks industry for best acquisition approach for Vantage data platform re-compete
18. .S. Army Public Affairs U(3 June 2020) Two Army Installations selected for 5G testing and experimentation
19. Andrew Eversden (15 Dec 2021) Tactical cloud coming to Army's Multi-Domain Task Forces in 2022
20. Jaspreet Gill (2 Nov 2022) DISA moves forward with $1.5B network transport contract after protest "The contract was awarded in August, but the government froze work until a protest by Verizon was resolved, a Defense Department official told Breaking Defense".