The U.S. Army expects to field new mission-command hardware and software platforms for all active, Reserve and National Guard units by 2024.The military branch said Monday it aims to fully deploy an updated software dubbed Joint Battle Command-Platform and a new standardized tactical computer called Mounted Family of Computing System, two years ahead of the initial completion schedule.
JBC-P and MFoCS work to optimize situational awareness, chat functions and user interfaces for soldiers in combat vehicles.
Lt. Col. Shane Sims, a product manager for JBC-P, said the accelerated fielding of new computing platforms “will pave the modernization path for the Army’s Mounted Computing Environment.”
MCE is one of six computing environments of the Army’s Common Operating Environment and is designed provide a common set of applications and services.
The Army Training and Doctrine Command worked with the JBC-P program office to shorten new equipment training time for soldiers from 40 to 16 hours in an effort to accelerate deployment timeline.
The military branch’s mission command program manager will also increase the size of training and fielding teams as well as the acquisition of vehicle hardware and software to meet the 2024 deadline.
JBC-P is currently used by 17 units and will be rolled out to 18 additional units during fiscal year 2018.
Beginning FY 2019, 50 to 70 Army units are scheduled to undergo fielding and training every year — an increase from 30 to 50 units in the original timeline.
The Army plans to have 98,000 MFoCS systems in the field by 2024.
