Photo By Timothy Jones | The Eastern Air Defense Sector and 224th Air Defense Group celebrated the completion...... read more read more
Rome, N.Y. – The Eastern Air Defense Sector marked the completion of its $13.1 million agile operations project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 31 in its Battle Control Center.
A hardware configuration management effort that took more than two years to plan and construct, the agile operations project condenses information from multiple systems into individual workstations controlled by a single keyboard and mouse, simplifies training and maintenance, and provides a “plug and play” capability for emerging technologies.
“Reoptimizing for the Great Power Competition requires constant technological improvement and tactical innovation,” said Col. Joseph F. Roos, EADS Commander. “The agile operations project provides several benefits, but its most critical contribution is that it enables our Airmen to conduct our primary mission, the air defense of the homeland, more effectively.”
Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton, the New York National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General, Air, and Brig. Gen. Paul Bishop, the New York Air National Guard’s Chief of Staff, joined Roos and Col. Jennifer L. King, the 224th Air Defense Group Commander, to cut the ribbon. Several Airmen and civilian employees were recognized for their contributions to the project during the ceremony.
Funding for the agile operations project came from a National Guard Reserve Equipment Appropriation and was provided through Air Combat Command, the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern/Air Forces Space), and the National Guard Bureau. The Naval Warfare Information Center, Atlantic, provided technical oversight and conducted the planning and construction in conjunction with 224th ADG personnel.
The Agile Operations Project
EADS and the 224th ADG are responsible for the air defense of the eastern U.S. Responding to potential airborne threats as rapidly as possible is an essential part of the mission.
EADS Battle Control Center receives, sorts and synthesizes information from several computer, communications and data systems. As new systems developed over the years, they were integrated into the BCC’s web of computer servers.
Nearly every system had its own hardware and required a keyboard and computer mouse to access. This resulted in a complex configuration that forced Airmen to comb through several different, stove-piped systems to develop usable information for tactical actions and decisions.
Critical system maintenance was difficult as well. Several systems were located on the operations floor and communications personnel had to perform maintenance and repairs in cramped areas, often while missions were being conducted.
The project removed hardware from the BCC’s operations floor and placed it in a renovated server room. Operations floor workstations were reduced to visual displays, controlled by a single keyboard and mouse. An Airman working on the operations floor can now access all systems at a single workstation, enabling the Airman to develop, share and take action on critical information much faster.
Maintenance has been greatly simplified. Maintainers now have unimpeded access to equipment and coordination time needed for routine maintenance has been significantly reduced. New equipment installations, essential because of rapid technology changes, are now accomplished without disrupting the operations floor.
The space saved by removing hardware also meant the operations floor could be split into two distinct sections, one for training and one dedicated solely to mission operations. The result is that for the first time since moving into the BCC in 1983, the unit has a dedicated training space to conduct mission training separate from its real-world operations.
The Eastern Air Defense Sector, headquartered in Rome, New York, is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and is responsible for the air defense of the homeland. The 224th Air Defense Group, an independent, wing-equivalent group of the New York Air National Guard, is located at EADS and provides the forces to conduct the air defense mission.
The 224th ADG has several squadrons and detachments. The 224th ADS, the 224th Support Squadron, the 224th Security Forces Squadron and a Royal Canadian Air Force detachment serve in Rome. Two geographically separated units, the 223rd ADS and the National Capital Region Coordination Center detachment, serve in the Washington, D.C. area.
For more information about the New York Air National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov. For more information on the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the 224th Air Defense Group, visit www.eads.ang.af.mil.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2024 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 484339 |
| Location: | ROME , NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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