Naval Info Warfare Methods Command (NAVWAR) joined eleven different Navy instructions on the U.S. Navy Info Warfare (IW) pavilion to offer a glimpse into the IW neighborhood’s mission to advance, align, ship, help and maintain capabilities that allow the longer term fleet throughout WEST 2022 on the San Diego Conference Heart, Feb. 16-18.
In its seventh yr at WEST, the IW pavilion demonstrated the Navy’s dedication to sustaining maritime superiority in a posh, information-driven atmosphere utilizing audio system, panels, material specialists and expertise demonstrations.
“Now, greater than ever, our focus is on delivering the data warfare capabilities the Navy wants for any potential battle,” mentioned Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler, deputy chief of naval operations for info warfare and director of naval intelligence. “Once we speak concerning the info age, it’s all about velocity, it’s concerning the precision of data you get, and performing on it in an applicable period of time for resolution benefit to allow related, combat-ready forces.”
Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach, commander, Naval Info Forces, expanded on the significance of delivering info at velocity and scale, highlighting the worth of trade engagements and partnerships.
“The set of capabilities that Info Warfare brings is indispensable to all mission areas of naval and joint operations,” mentioned Aeschbach. “We’re delighted to be a significant participant at WEST 2022. This convention is a vital alternative to attach with our trade companions as they’re essential enablers to our warfighting functionality, offering modern options that we want now and into the longer term.”
As part of the IW speaker collection NAVWAR Commander Rear Adm. Doug Small hosted a query and reply session that centered largely on Challenge Overmatch, the excessive precedence initiative aimed toward connecting platforms, weapons, and sensors collectively in a strong Naval Operational Structure that integrates with Joint All-Area Command and Management for enhanced Distributed Maritime Operations.
To clarify the idea in broader phrases, Small described the ubiquity of digital platforms all of us use in our every day lives, and contrasted the benefit with which we improve and use these techniques with the complicated processes we use for navy techniques.
“While you obtain Yelp in your telephone, they don’t come to your own home to see if it should open correctly, if each attainable info circulate throughout each community, whether or not it’s Wi-Fi or mobile or 4G, that each one these knowledge paths work,” he mentioned. “They don’t have to as a result of they’ve already performed all that work on that digital platform. That’s all we’re attempting to do.”
Following one of the best practices of the business software program trade, he defined that we have to ship digital platforms to our operators and ensure the functions can talk and carry out their features in harsh environments, with no matter knowledge paths can be found.
Whereas at WEST, Small additionally participated on the panel “What Modifications Ought to Be Made to the DoD Acquisition Course of to Speed up and Adapt to Meet the Future?”
“I consider we’ve all of the authorities we want and the tax payers’ {dollars} to do what we have to do,” mentioned Small.
He added that what is required is to use the “assets we’ve to the really significant outcomes which can be required to ship at velocity and scale.”
For a lot of attendees, probably the most anticipated a part of the IW pavilion was the return of the in-person engagement zone, giving them the chance to informally meet with dozens of program managers, enterprise portfolio managers and material specialists to debate capabilities, service choices and alternatives for partnerships.
“What stunned me probably the most about this yr’s WEST was how grateful trade was to get simply 5 minutes of my time,” mentioned Capt. Andy Gibbons, program supervisor, Communications and GPS Navigation Program Workplace. “It’s an instance of the separation we’ve all felt in trade – acquisition teaming as a result of pandemic. It’s been an amazing occasion the place teaming was rekindled and lots of extra new relationships have been born.”
This yr the IW pavilion hosted 14 expertise demonstrations and static shows that showcased numerous techniques and capabilities that help and facilitate info warfare throughout all warfare domains. This included unmanned underneath water automobiles, a 5G check lab, synthetic intelligence integration in planning operations, predictive instruments to extend readiness, cybersecurity functions and software program improvement.
By sharing insights into Navy instruments, capabilities and ways, attendees have been capable of see how they might contribute to the wants of the mission.
“We needed to take what generally is a complicated course of and break it down into easy-to-understand subjects,” mentioned Karina Schmidt, Compile to Fight Utility Modernization and Onboarding (CAMO) venture supervisor at Naval Info Warfare Heart (NIWC) Pacific, who demonstrated her workforce’s software of improvement, safety, and operations (DevSecOps) in a DoD atmosphere. “With this course of we’re capable of dramatically cut back the time it takes for software program to go from a developer’s keyboard into the arms of the warfighter. Guests hopefully left our demo with a greater understanding of how they’ll apply DevSecOps and why it represents the ‘Rosetta Stone’ of quickly deploying higher software program to the fleet.”
Additionally fascinating to attendees was NIWC Pacific’s 5G check lab demonstration. The demo included graphical consumer interface shows that confirmed community and cell websites being configured, and consumer gear connecting to the community.
“Our demonstration is for the DoD stakeholder investigating 5G expertise utilized to customized tactical radio options,” mentioned Ricardo Lizarraga, digital warfare engineer at NIWC Pacific. “We use the most recent technology base-station community emulator, mixed with extra check gear, and customized software program developed in home to emulate a 5G requirements compliant mobile community in a lab atmosphere. We then use automation to check numerous consumer gear underneath related situations, or a single consumer gadget with various protocol or cell conduct. This work is an element of a bigger NIWC Pacific funding in labs, gear, instruments, and abilities supporting 5G for naval functions.”
To encourage and facilitate trade connections and partnerships, NAVWAR additionally had representatives from the command’s Workplace of Small Enterprise and Small Enterprise Innovation Analysis Packages readily available to offer info on easy methods to do enterprise with NAVWAR.
The premier naval convention and exposition on the West Coast, WEST is now in its thirty second yr of bringing navy and trade leaders collectively. Co-sponsored by AFCEA Worldwide and the U.S. Naval Institute, WEST is the one occasion through which the makers of platforms and the designers of applied sciences can community, talk about and reveal their options in a single locale.
About NAVWAR
NAVWAR identifies, develops, delivers and sustains info warfighting capabilities and providers that allow naval, joint, coalition and different nationwide missions working in warfighting domains from seabed to house and thru our on-line world. NAVWAR consists of greater than 11,000 civilian, energetic responsibility and reserve professionals positioned all over the world.
