Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Sgt. Isaiah Lumar and Spc. Noel Martinez validated connectivity of Army...... read more read more
VICENZA, Italy — Operators from the 509th Strategic Signal Battalion, 2d Theater Signal Brigade, provided organic theater Enroute Mission Command (EMC) capabilities to the 173rd Airborne Brigade during Exercise Swift Response 24, May 7 to 11 2024.
Aboard a Ka Fuselage Mounted Antenna-enabled U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, the operators provided critical Department of Defense Information Network – Army services to two Battalion Airborne Infantry Task Force elements conducting Joint Forcible Entry Operations from Aviano Air Base, Italy to Sweden and North Macedonia. These services extended in-flight mission command for the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 11th Airborne Corps.
According to U.S. Army Capt. Shenelle Stallings, the EMC furnishes rapidly deploying tactical units with essential in-flight mission command capabilities and seamless network communications between aircraft and ground forces, which are vital for the success of joint forcible entry operations. Stallings was the EMC team lead and is the commander of the 509th SSB’s Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment.
“The EMC provides commanders the ability to provide Mission Command in-flight and maintain communication and situational awareness of their elements on-ground,” Stallings said. “This also entails receiving vital intelligence for effectiveness and lethality. The system leverages a suite of network communication features that provide commanders at echelon with mission command capabilities akin to those in a ground-based command post, effectively transforming the aircraft into a mobile command center.”
The 509th SSB provided the following services via the EMC during the mission:
• Microsoft Teams Chat and Video Teleconference
• Android Tactical Assault Kit Connectivity
• NIPR/SIPR VoIP
• Army Unified Directory Services Connectivity
• Share Drive
• ChatSurfer
Stallings and her team made history during Exercise Brave Partner in December 2023 by validating EMC first-of-its-kind on a unified network, known as the Tactical Mission Data Platform. That mission aided in stress testing the Army Unified Network by ensuring access from anywhere, anytime to enable warfighting.
The success achieved during the Brave Partner mission laid the foundation the team continued building upon during Swift Response 24.
The 2d Theater Signal Brigade is U.S. Army Europe-Africa’s only conventional brigade outside of VXIII Airborne Corps to employ EMC as part of a core mission in support of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command warfighters.
The brigade oversees an intricate EMC training, logistics, and joint-coalition coordination pipeline to reduce the complexity for warfighting unit network access.
“I am extremely proud of the EMC teams,” Stallings said. “The teams performed extremely well and handled all mission intensity flawlessly. Also, I’m especially thankful for all supporting parties involved as mission success was truly a team effort.”
The 509th Strategic Signal Battalion’s mission is to build, operate, maintain, and secure the DoD Information Network and deliver C4IM services throughout Italy, the Balkans, the Black Sea Region, NATO’s Southern Flank, and Africa to enable the environment and speed of operations for the warfighter.
“The 509th SSB EMC teams expand critical mission command capabilities across the breadth and depth of the battlefield in real-time,” said Lt. Col. Jae Marquis, Commander, 509th SSB. “The 509th SSB is capable of providing commanders at echelon with multi-enclave connectivity across Strategic and Tactical NIPR, SIPR, and Mission-Partner Environment domains.”
The 2d Theater Signal Brigade delivers integrated and interoperable theater communications and cyber capabilities to enable decision dominance across all levels and phases of war in support of combat forces and mission partners in Europe and Africa.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.
Swift Response 24 involved approximately 3,650 U.S. and 9,500 multinational participants. The exercise demonstrated the strategic employment of the Global Response Force. It validated the U.S. European Command’s ability to send high-readiness forces into designated areas while advancing airborne interoperability with NATO allies and partners.
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| Date Taken: | 05.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2024 03:29 |
| Story ID: | 472416 |
| Location: | VICENZA, IT |
| Hometown: | COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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