Photo By Lance Cpl. Giovanni Navarrette | U.S. Army Maj. Mark Thomas, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, I...... read more read more
During the most recent annual Yama Sakura exercise in Japan, an expeditionary U.S. Marine unit leveraged the U.S. Army’s Global Agile Integrated Transport network architecture, known as GAIT, in the Indo-Pacific region for the first time, taking advantage of the unique opportunity to enhance interoperability in support of potential future large-scale combat operations.
The III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) maintains a forward presence in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR), responding to contingencies and strengthening alliances in support of the U.S. national security strategy. Although the unit has previously used GAIT within the continental U.S., this exercise marked the unit’s debut use of this agile network transport in a forward-deployed Pacific operational setting.
“The Army’s GAIT system significantly enhanced joint and coalition interoperability by providing the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade [MEB] with a secure and reliable alternative to fiber transport infrastructure,” said Chief Warrant 02 David Sterling, network engineer for 3rd MEB, III MEF. “GAIT enabled our forces to establish tactical network connectivity with greater speed and independence, reducing reliance on external private sector providers that will not be as reliant in a time of conflict. This capability directly supported bilateral operations with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force [JGSDF], ensuring seamless information sharing and coordination.”
The GAIT network design creates a global network mesh that enables secure high-capacity data exchange and command and control (C2) between Army, joint and collation forces located around world. This dynamic architecture provides multiple routing path options and solutions, enabling a more robust, resilient and expeditionary network.
“As U.S. Army, joint, and coalition forces orient for potential future multi-domain, large scale combat operations, the GAIT network design enables the integrated force to exchange data and conduct C2 in a more unified way,” said Col. Stuart McMillan, project manager for Tactical Network (PM TN), at the Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, and Network (PEO C3N), which helps manage GAIT for the Army. “GAIT’s secure global routing interconnects commanders, units, and the fast-paced battle arena, enhancing interoperability, operational tempo and speed of decision.”
GAIT interconnects the Army’s Regional Hub Nodes (RHNs) and multiple DoD satellite communication gateways worldwide to enable integrated global network transport. Units can also transport data directly between hundreds of fixed enduring GAIT Points of Presence routers located around the globe, to streamline network transport pathways. This simplifies network transport even further and enhances multipath diversity for a more resilient network.
“GAIT is the only current Army network capability that allows for seamless and secure multi transport capability, enabling users to leverage commercial networks offered by low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, cellular providers, and commercial broadband companies to integrate users into a global mesh routing architecture,” said Daniel DeCamillo, PM TN Technical Management division chief.
As part of the III MEF’s debut use of GAIT in the Indo Pacific, Yama Sakura 87 also marked the initial integration of GAIT into the Marine Corps Enterprise Network–Tactical Edge (MCEN-TE) -- a component of the Marines’ larger interconnected network-of networks MCEN architecture. During the exercise, the 3rd MEB network team -- in collaboration with the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) G-6 network communications officers and PM TN’s GAIT Network Support team -- successfully configured, validated, and operationalized GAIT as a transport option for the Marine’s MCEN-TE equipment kits. GAIT supported unclassified, classified and coalition networks, enabling near real-time data exchange for joint and coalition C2 operations, Sterling said.
“This capability enhanced situational awareness, operational coordination, and the overall effectiveness of bi-lateral and joint missions,” Sterling said.
The JGSD and USARPAC conducted exercise Yama Sakura 87 -- part of USARPAC’s Operation PATHWAYS – in December 2024, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and multiple locations in Japan. Participants in the exercise included USARPAC, I Corps, 11th Airborne Division, U.S. Army Japan (USARJ); JGSDF, Ground Component Command (Japan), Western Army (Japan), Eastern Army (Japan); and Australia’s 1st Division and 7th Infantry Division. Since its first iteration in 1982, Yama Sakura has focused on the development and refinement of the JGSDF and USARPAC’s bilateral planning, coordination, and interoperability efforts.
As the Army faces potential multi-domain large scale combat operations against technologically advanced enemies, network interoperability between joint and coalition forces is one of service’s top priorities, said Chief Warrant Officer 04, Demetrius Mansfield, senior technical advisor, USARJ G6.
“Communications are vital for all warfighting functions and give commanders’ the ability to command and control. Additionally, it’s important that we can communicate and share data amongst, between and across all joint and coalition forces,” Mansfield said. “The future fight will occur in multiple domains, and we will need to rely upon our joint services and coalition partners to fight and win; network interoperability (or the lack there of) will play a vital role in the outcome of future conflicts.”
The INDOPACOM AOR presents unique challenges due to its vast geography and dispersed operational areas. Quickly establishing reliable C2 communications is often hindered by logistical and infrastructural limitations. Dependence on commercial transport for network connectivity introduces vulnerabilities, especially in contested environments. Additionally, the administrative processes for accessing traditional DoD gateways can delay critical capabilities. GAIT mitigates these challenges by enabling rapid and secure connections, bypassing procedural bottlenecks and ensuring operational readiness, Sterling said.
In challenging denied, degraded, intermittent, and low-bandwidth (DDIL) environments, multiple network transport options such as GAIT are essential for ensuring reliable and rapid connectivity when traditional infrastructure is unavailable or compromised. GAIT contributed to faster decision-making by serving as a robust alternate network transport for the Marine’s Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency (PACE) communications plan, providing redundancies of C2 capabilities, enhancing joint network resiliency, Sterling said.
“GAIT provides commanders with the flexibility to maintain C2 continuity and adapt to operational needs, ensuring effective decision-making even in contested environments,” Sterling said. “Looking forward, GAIT will remain a valuable asset for future exercises and operations, further solidifying joint and coalition readiness. In a future battlespace characterized by sophisticated adversaries, such capabilities will be critical for maintaining operational tempo and ensuring commanders can make informed, time-sensitive decisions.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2025 14:16 |
| Story ID: | 492070 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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