Contract Award: Comtech to support U.S. Army's Movement Tracking System and Blue-Force Tracking programs

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, Comtech Telecommunications received multiple orders totaling $16.6 million to support the U.S. Army's Movement Tracking System ("MTS") and Blue-Force Tracking-1 ("BFT-1") programs. These orders were placed under the auspices of the BFT program office and brought the total orders received to-date under Comtech's $384.0 million BFT-1 contract to $378.2 million.

The first order for $12.0 million included the supply of MT-2012 mobile satellite transceivers to support the MTS program and MT-2011 mobile satellite transceivers to support the BFT-1 program.

The second order was for the continued supply of satellite bandwidth, satellite network operations, engineering services and program management to support the MTS program for the period January 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012.

Pricing for the second order has not yet been finalized with the U.S. Army and related funding cannot exceed $4.0 million. Additional orders aggregating approximately $0.6 million primarily related to engineering services to develop an operational interface between the MTS network and a standard FBCB2 protocol currently being used by the BFT-1 system.

The Technology

The MT-2012 is the newest member of Comtech Mobile Datacom’s packet data network, providing near real-time satellite-enhanced communications services.

MT-2012

The need for increased functionality led to the development of the MT-2012 which integrates GB GRAM (Ground-Based GPS Receiver Application Module) military GPS and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology with their own specific antennas within a rugged metal housing designed to withstand the rigors of the battlefield environment. An RFID interrogator provides Total Asset Visibility (TAV) by interrogating RF tags attached to cargo containers and reporting data back to headquarters over the satellite link. The addition of a 512K buffer allows the MT-2012 to accept large data dumps for packetized transmission over the satellite. The MT-2012 joins the MT-2011 as the solution of choice for over-the-horizon, on-the-move (OTH/OTM) missions under battlefield conditions, operating anywhere in the world over commercial satellite systems to track mobile assets and provide two-way communications.

The United States Army’s Movement Tracking System (MTS) provides two-way text messaging and position reporting between mobile and fixed assets.

MTS Movement Tracking System

MTS can operate anywhere in the world giving over-the-horizon communications to vehicles on the move. Messages are transmitted via commercial satellites in near real-time, and vehicle locations are displayed on computers with NGA maps. All messages are encrypted end-to-end, including sender and recipient addresses for information security purposes. MTS operates over a variety of geostationary satellites and is designed to transition automatically from one satellite system to another, as required.

Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation was awarded the MTS contract in 1999. Comtech has designed a spread-spectrum, packet-switched data network that uses state-of-the-art modulation techniques and short burst transmissions. This provides low probability of intercept/detect characteristics to reduce the likelihood that hostile forces can determine the sender’s position or intercept other intelligence. To meet changing mission requirements, Comtech Mobile Datacom developed an enhanced Movement Tracking System (MTS) designated the MTS Plus. The MTS Plus provides In-Transit Visibility (ITV) of units deployed in the battlefield as well as visibility of units providing tactical and logistics support. The MTS Plus also incorporates additional safety features and durability improvements.

Comments

Fred Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp., said, "We are pleased to receive these orders which provide for the uninterrupted delivery of MTS services to the U.S. Army and which continues our long standing support of the MTS and BFT-1 programs. We also believe the receipt of additional hardware orders demonstrates the ongoing importance of the U.S. Army's BFT-1 and MTS satellite tracking communication systems which currently support deployed U.S. forces worldwide."

References: Comtech (1,2,3)

Contract Award: Lockheed Martin to support U.S. Army's Logistics with its Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility system

Makeshift and disarrayed remote area logistics yard

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, Lockheed Martin has been awarded work by the U.S. Army’s Product Manager, Joint-Automatic Identification Technology organization to provide operations and maintenance for the Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility system (RF-ITV). If all options are exercised over the course of five years, the contract is valued at $126 million.

The System

In-Transit Visibility (ITV) is a capability that uses Radio Frequency (RF)/Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) and is designed to provide the logistics customer with maximum visibility and near real-time status on the movement of all classes of supply. By using ITV, logistics customer may identify, locate, and track the movement of all classes of supply from source of supply to user.

ITV is the fusion of logistics information and distribution technologies for rapid crisis response, deployment and sustainment, and it provides decision makers at all levels of command and throughout the logistics pipeline with accurate, near real-time data to collaboratively plan, prioritize and redirect logistics operations.

The RF-ITV system is a mission essential information system that supports U.S. Joint Warfighter operations, which used Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices to support the dissemination of In-Transit Visibility (ITV) information. RFID technology provides a powerful potential to the enhancement of using automated information systems to see the last location of the unit´s asset.

RF-ITV sites exist worldwide in support of combatant commands, making this a massive and complex effort since sites must be maintained at optimal levels of operational readiness to support joint forces. Through RF-ITV technology the system provides last known locations and in-the-container visibility for shipments that have active RF tags attached to pallets, containers, or equipment. Specifically, by using RF tags, the RF-ITV system traces the identity, status, and location of cargo from origin (depot or vendor) to destination. It also receives near real-time position reports for conveyances from numerous Satellite Tracking Systems (STS). Data from these two technologies is combined, processed, and accessed via web-based maps and reports, and provides global, logistics support to the Joint warfighter.

The scope of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) infrastructure includes four business process servers, strategically positioned globally to mitigate communication limitations. There are in excess of 2400 nodal read and write sites located in 30 countries worldwide. Locations include, but are not limited to, the United States, Great Britain, Republic of Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt, Luxemburg, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Qatar, Bahrain, Djibouti, Spain, Korea, Japan, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Greece, Macedonia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Italy.

By accessing the system with a Common Access Card (CAC), users can log on to the RF-ITV Tracking Portal, the user interface to the ITV server that provides ITV information on in-transit shipments.

The Context

RFID is a transformational technology which plays a vital role in achieving the DOD vision for implementing knowledge-enabled logistic support to the warfighter through fully automated visibility and management of assets.

The RFID technology application of asset tagging for in-transit visibility has been in use by the DOD for over a decade. Tangible benefits for the U.S. DoD´s implementation of the RFID technology include improved asset visibility, enhanced shipment processing timeliness and accuracy, plus increased reliability in the vendor payment system. With benefits, however, come problems. Security is a major concern for RFID technology. Tags that are readable anywhere, anytime pose a risk to corporate and military security. Accuracy of information is another concern.

Currently, RF-ITV is a fielded capability that provides support to Commanders and logisticians in all branches of U.S. armed forces, NATO, and U.S. Coalition Partners, and it is the only DoD-approved system that provides in-transit visibility beyond the Theater Distribution Center (TDC).

Data from the RF-ITV system supports many high profile systems (i.e., Global Transportation Network (GTN), Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3), DLA Asset Visibility (DLA AV)) and supports over 30 existing Joint and one Coalition, inbound and outbound, interface customers.

The Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility system is managed by U.S. Army's Joint-Automatic Identification Technology (J-AIT), which operates as the U.S. DoD procurement activity for AIT and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).

Comments

“With the Government’s and Lockheed Martin’s focus on affordability, the RF-ITV system is critical to manage military shipments such as cargo, supplies, and unit movement,” said DeEtte Gray, Lockheed Martin IS&GS-Defense vice president for Enterprise IT Solutions. “The Lockheed Martin team is proud to support the Army’s efforts to prioritize, organize, and track assets.”

References: Lockheed Martin (1), U.S. Army PEO EIS (2), JITC (3), PM J-AIT (4), U.S. Army CASCOM (5), Bowie State University (6), Defense Industry Daily (7)