Army integrating FCS, blue-force tracking

[unhappycamper]

Army integrating FCS, blue-force tracking
By Kris Osborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Aug 10, 2008 17:10:59 EDT

The Army is looking at ways to get today’s blue-force tracking equipment to swap data with the next-generation Future Combat Systems networking gear, a decade-long, multibillion-dollar effort the service has dubbed Unified Battle Command.

The Army’s 40,000 vehicles equipped with blue-force tracking — formally called Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below — now can send their locations to FCS-equipped vehicles but receive FCS data only in limited amounts and with difficulty.

FCS gear is expected to start entering the force in 2010, but it would cost billions of dollars to replace all the existing FBCB2 radios, terminals and displays. That means the two systems will serve together for many years.

So the Army wants to see whether it can make FBCB2 gear do a bit more of what FCS gear can do, but without the hefty price tag. That starts with getting the two kinds of devices to talk to each other.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/08/army_blueforce_081008w/



uhc comment: Future Combat Systems is another money-pit program that should be shut down, IMO.