Building a Culture of Efficiency in Blue Force Tracking Technology
Abstract
On the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below/Blue Force Tracking (FBCB2/BFT) fundamentally changed American warfare by digitizing situational awareness to reduce the uncertainty known as the fog of war. Now the program office that fielded FBCB2 to more than 120,000 vehicles and every tactical operations center (TOC) in the Army is delivering substantial cost reductions as it upgrades the technology for future operations and a new generation of Soldiers. The two-part system upgrade, known as Joint Capabilities Release (JCR) and Joint Battle Command-Platform (JBC-P), will serve as the principal mission command system for the Army and Marine Corps at the brigade-and-below level. It comes as the Army advances the tactical network as its top modernization priority, fielding integrated capability sets that connect all echelons of the Brigade Combat Team with mobile voice and data communications. However, amid declining budgets and the drawdown of forces in theater, Project Manager (PM) JBC-P recognized that the traditional and costly path of advancing new technology was not an option for this much-needed upgrade. Instead, the PM relied on an organizational culture that stressed prudence, efficiency, and challenging the status quo. With the necessary strategic decisions and groundwork in place, Fiscal Year 2013 (FY2013) became the year of execution. By leveraging Better Buying Power (BBP) principles, PM JBC-P is delivering faster, better situational awareness capabilities while saving the Army and the American taxpayer more than $244 million over the next several years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA608877
Entities
People
- Bryan Stephens
- James Steinberger
- Mark R. Daniels
- Michael Thurston
Organizations
- Defense Acquisition University