JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Agencies from Army Training Information System at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, conducted a proof of concept that could provide mobile training and education via internet communication to Soldiers during sea missions, Dec. 11, 2019.
Currently, there is a capability gap for digital broadband connectivity onboard all U.S. Army watercraft. The design of the ships includes thick steel walls that disrupt the effective transfer of data.
Aboard these vessels, Soldiers conduct day and night operations around the world, all the while needing to comply with mandatory training and education requirements.
Unfortunately the vessels do not have connectivity to access online training. Soldiers are then unable complete required military training and education while on mission. This hinders both individual Soldier career progression and unit readiness in support of unified land operations.
This issue was presented to the Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager Army Training Information System (TCM ATIS)
“TCM ATIS represents the user and captures their requirements,” said Frank Anderson, TCM ATIS Point of Delivery Program training support systems specialist. “We’ll go out to the Army commands and talk with the Soldiers in the units and gather their needs and requirements.”
TCM ATIS personnel study the situation, conducting a Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities and Policy, or DOTmLPF-P analysis.
Once determined, those needs and requirements are brought to the Product Manager ATIS. PdM ATIS then steps in to help find the solution to the problem.
“We are the materiel solution, if something has to be built, bolted in or be created for the solution, that’s when we come into effect,” said U.S. Army Maj. Eli Candelaria Army Training Information System assistant product manager. “The materiel analysis examines all the necessary equipment and systems that are needed by our forces to fight and operate effectively, and if new systems are needed to fill a capability gap.”
PdM ATIS also provides services that benefit the Army training community. Currently, these services include Digital Training Facilities (DTFs), Mobile Digital Training Facilities (MDTFs) and the Deployed Digital Training Campus (DDTC).
The team conducted trials with the help of the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary. During this test, they navigated five nautical miles off the Virginia Beach coast, and conducted maneuvers to demonstrate stability of the satellite signal.
The modified DDTC capability successfully provided a reliable connection for over 11 hours, which allowed the vessel crew to conduct web-based training, specifically the Army Learning Management System’s operational security refresh training.
ATIS acquires, deploys and maintains a worldwide distributed learning system to ensure Soldiers receive critical training anytime, anywhere. ATIS directly impacts the Army's ability to meet its training mission, providing numerous options to access training and create a relevant and ready Army.
“We are excited about the future of this adaptation,” Candelaria said. “We are always thinking about how we can adapt our products to fit the needs of the Warfighter and this is a perfect example.”
For more information on PdM and TCM ATIS, call 757-878-9909.