Thursday, May10, 2018 • APG News B5 Winning the battle via smartphone: 10th Mountain fields new Field Artillery technology By Dan Lafontaine PEO C3T

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Soldiers are getting improved field artillery command and control capabilities via modernized soft- ware on Android-enabled smartphones. The upgrades -- such as receiving digital maps to enhance the ability to send precision target coordinates-- arepartof the Army’s modernization effort known as Precision Fires-Dismounted. The 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division was the first unit to be fielded the PF-D, the new software applica- tion loaded on the Army’s Nett Warrior End User Device. About 40 Soldiers trained on the system April 3-5 at Fort Drum, New York. Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Thomas Goettke said field artillery modernization is critical, especially as the U.S. faces near-peer threats. The PF-D allows the user to receive an intelligence, surveillance and reconnais- sance feed on a single platform, rather than having multiple systems that require nu- merous components, wires, cables and batteries. “The whole spectrum of digital capa- bilities is resident in this platform,” Goettke said. “The system optimizes the perform- ance of the user.” PF-D reduces the required training time, compared with legacy systems, because of its revamped, intuitive user interface that is similar in functionality to commercial handheld devices. Also, the power-genera- U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY STAFF SGT. JAMES AVERY, 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION tion burden has decreased because PF-D is Spc. Joshua Wilson tests the Precision Fires-Dismounted application on the Nett Warrior End User Device at Fort Drum, New Yo rk, April smaller, lighter and eliminates stand-alone 5, 2018. Wilson is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI). hardware from the old system. “Soldiers love PF-D because it’s easy to providing a simple and effective user use,” Goettke said. “In an infantry brigade interface based on significant input from combat team, we’re primarily dismounted. forward observers throughout the Army,” This new PF-D reduces the amount of said Lt. Col. Chris Anderson, product batteries we have to carry, which is manager for Fire Support Command and significant for the Soldier. You can make Control, assigned to PM Mission Command. sure the functionality of that single piece of “Moving forward, we are pushing to equipment is up and operationally ready accelerate the fielding of PF-D across the instead of having a full rucksack layout of Army and replace our legacy systems with a equipment.” truly state-of-the-art platform for putting Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Russell steel on target.” Blackwell reiterated that developing the Several thousand PF-D systems will be PF-D in a way that young Soldiers can deployed across the Army within the next understand is a big step for the Army. few years. “A smartphone is something that our The U.S. Army Program Executive Office Soldiers see, know and use on a daily basis. Command, Control and Communications- Now, to be on the battlefield with that same Tactical develops, acquires, fields and sup- technology is going to greatly enhance the ports the Army’s mission command net- skills of the Artillerymen in a way that we’ve work to ensure force readiness. This critical never before seen. Even as the technology Army modernization priority delivers tacti- gets smaller and more maneuverable, we’ve U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY DAN LAFONTAINE, PEO C3T cal communications so commanders and not stopped making it more lethal,” Black- Sgt. Justice King-Harris (right) tests the Precision Fires-Dismounted application on the Soldiers can stay connected and informed at well said. Nett Warrior End User Device as Pfc. Western Sheffield looks on at Fort Drum, New Yo rk, all times, even in the most austere and The Army’s Project Manager Mission April 5, 2018,. The Soldiers are assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, hostile environments. PEO C3T is deliv- Command, at Aberdeen Proving Ground, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI). ering the network to regions around the Maryland, oversees PF-D’s acquisition, inte- globe, enabling high-speed, high-capacity gration, testing and fielding. At the program integrate PF-D onto the Nett Warrior. very clear expectations of how they want to voice, data and video communications to a onset, PM Mission Command partnered “The Soldiers who will be using PF-D interact with their devices. Early on, the user base that includes the Army’s joint, with Program Executive Officer Soldier to grew up as true ‘digital natives’ and have team adopted a comprehensive approach to coalition and other mission partners.

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