World’s largest multilateral C4 exercise concludes

Photo By Sgt. Derrick Irions | More than 1,200 communications professionals from 31 NATO and Partnership of Peace countries along with European security partners are participating in exercise Combined Endeavor 14 in Grafenwohr, Germany, Sept. 9. Combined Endeavor is the world's largest multinational command, control, communication and computer (C4) systems exercise; focused on defined mission networks and collective cyber-defense.  

GRAFENWOHR, GERMANY

09.12.2014

Story by Sgt. Derrick Irions 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

GRAFENWOHR, Germany - The world’s largest communication network interoperability exercise, Combined Endeavor 14, officially ended following the event’s closing-ceremony in Grafenwöhr, Germany, Sept 12.

CE is a command, control, communications, and computer (C4) network-system training event designed to enhance network interoperability between nation coalitions.

More than 1,200 communication professionals from 31 North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Partnership-for-Peace countries, as well as other strategic European partners participated in the U.S. European Command-sponsored exercise.

Over the span of two weeks, four mission groups and two component commands constructed, maintained and defended communication networks. The groups accomplished this by following the step-by-step guidelines set by the Joining Membership and Exiting Instructions documents.

JMEI is a platform that provides the readiness services of video teleconferencing, email with attachments and web browsing for mission partner operations on a single and secured network.

“The CE14 mission-network was established faster and provided more reliable service to a greater portion of the coalition than ever before,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Wood, exercise director, contributing the success of this year’s exercise to adjustments made to JMEI. “This represents a significant improvement compared to our CE13 performance and sets the stage for continued development as we transition these concepts into other events.”

These networks were configured and synchronized with the intent of being operated by a single coalition made up of multiple nations and echelons of command.

Ukraine Army Lt. Col. Roman Grytskiy, operational system controller for mission group 4, also expressed the importance of JMEI.

“JMEI is like the [C4] bible for different countries, it teaches countries how to work together using one network,” said Grytskiy. “I believe that Combined Endeavor is way to success because, here, we learn how to connect with other nations.”

Grytskiy said Ukrainian officers and soldiers who have participated in previous CE exercises are now applying those same standards and procedures throughout Ukraine’s current crisis regions.

“Our performance this year is a tribute to hard work of each delegation and participant, and proves that we can work together as a coalition to create a mission-network for our future battlefield commanders, said Wood. “When our potential adversaries look across our borders they will see a resolute group of nations that is prepared and ready to respond as a coalition.”

• Date Taken: 09.12.2014
• Date Posted: 09.12.2014 15:23
• Story ID: 141984
• Location: GRAFENWOHR, DE