TACTICAL NETWORK OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT

Abstract

This funding line is directly aligned to the Army Network Modernization strategy and is the lynchpin of the Army Unified Network Plan. Unified Network Operations (UNO) is foundational to Army network modernization efforts that enhance network security, resiliency, and data exchange, and to the service's Unified Network (UN) vision - which integrates and converges enterprise and tactical networks. UNO is a software-centric suite of applications, designed to replace and consolidate existing Network Operations (NetOps) tools. UNO applications when integrated, will provide a simple user-friendly capability for planning, managing, monitoring, configuring, and securing the network. UNO provides fully integrated Network and Enterprise Management Systems (NM/EMS) and Identity Credential Management (ICAM), an important tool in achieving a Zero Trust environment. UNO management systems design and plan the network, including configuration, operation, and maintenance functions. The iterative UNO software will development approach will fully integrate cybersecurity capabilities and information dissemination management/content sharing (IDM/CS), including Army Zero Trust initiatives, to enable network mission command functions across the Enterprise and Tactical network environments. UNO is a software-centric suite of applications, designed to replace and consolidate existing Network Operations (NetOps) tools that, when integrated, provide a simple, singular user-friendly capability for planning, managing, monitoring, configuring, and securing the UN. UNO provides fully integrated Network and Enterprise Management Systems (NM/EMS) to design and plan the network, including model and simulation, configuration, operation, and maintenance functions. UNO will develop and fully integrate cybersecurity capabilities and information dissemination management/content sharing (IDM/CS), including Army Zero Trust initiatives, to enable network mission command functions across the Enterprise and Tactical network environments. The UNO rapid prototyping phase provides initial software development and prototyping of UNO capabilities through Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps), leveraging Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) and Capability Set (CS) schedules to conduct Soldier Touch Points (STPs) and obtain user feedback used to improve UNO. The Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) signed 14 May 2019 authorized the use of a Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) pathway for Rapid Prototyping from FY 2019 - FY 2024. The total cost of the UNO MTA Rapid Prototyping effort is $85 million RDT&E. The UNO prototyping activities will transition to development of fully integrated UN capabilities in support of the UNO Information Systems - Initial Capabilities Document (IS-ICD), approved by the Army Future's Command (AFC) memorandum signed 28 June 2021. This phase of development expands UNO capabilities in support of a UN across Enterprise and Tactical networks and systems beginning in FY 2024. This phase of development will continue the DevSecOps approach for iterative software development, incorporating user feedback through STPs. In 3Q FY 2023, the program anticipates receiving authorization for initial software development of UNO IS-ICD requirements for tactical users to begin in FY 2024. FY 2024 funding supports the completion of the UNO Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Prototyping phase with development of the UNO prototype v1.1 to support the overarching 2-year CS cycle for FY 2023. The development of the UNO prototype v1.1 builds on current prototype efforts to provide simplified NetOps capabilities across the tactical network, incorporating requirements stemming from CS initiatives and directed requirements. Additionally, FY 2024 funding supports the initial development, testing, and integration of the UNO IS-ICD initial capability software release to support key components of the UN. The total cost of the UNO Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $85 million RDT&E from FY19 to FY24. The UNO is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
• Source ID: EK9_0604818A_5_2040_PB_2024

Tags

Fields of Study

• Computer science

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Cyber