Mil-Tech

U.S. Army Awards CDO Technologies Automatic Identification Technologies IV (AIT-IV) Prime Contract

Third Army AIT contract awarded to the company for comprehensive, ‘one-stop’ logistics, asset, and supply chain management solutions
 
The U.S. Army’s Information Technology, E-Commerce, and Commercial Contracting Center (ITEC4) has awarded CDO Technologies, (www.cdotech.com), a global leader in complete automatic ID technology development and integration solutions, a prime contract for Automatic Identification Technologies IV (AIT-IV), an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract.

 
The Army anticipates applications for AIT-IV to extend from inventory and warehouse environments and large, open-area storage facilities to maintenance, repair and tracking facilities, entry and exit points of military facilities and roadside installations, as well as restricted office and laboratory environments, the military transportation community and petroleum distribution points. AIT-IV solutions encompass a wide range of current and future technologies including bar codes, contact and touch memory, thermal printing, and biometrics, as well as cellular, satellite, and voice recognition communication. The AIT-IV contract, worth more than $400 million, represents the total dollar amount awarded to multiple companies, over three years with an option of up to 6 additional years.

 
“AIT-IV will be the cornerstone of the most sophisticated supply chain systems the DoD has ever undertaken, these systems require the seamless integration of the most advanced automatic ID and communications technologies and services available,” said Don Ertel, vice president of CDO Technologies’ Systems & Technology Solutions Division. “Awarding this contract to CDO Technologies, as a core integrator versus a single hardware or system supplier, recognizes the depth of the automatic ID technology development and integration capabilities we’ve built over 15 years working with the Army and other U.S. government services.”

 
CDO Technologies, along with partners, A2B Tracking, ASC Software, Central State University, HCI Integrated Solutions, Motorola, Naniq, Vantedge, Williams Software, and Zebra Technologies, will provide the Army and all the Department of Defense (DoD), United States Coast Guard (CG), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Coalition Partners, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and other Federal Agencies a complete, broad set of integrated automatic ID and data collection solutions, systems integration, and engineering services for logistics and asset management.

 
“Motorola is pleased to be working in support of CDO Technologies’ latest contract award, Automatic Identification Technology IV,” said Jim Mears, vice president and general manager of Motorola’s U.S. Federal Government Market Division. “CDO is a recognized leader in providing the military with innovative technologies vital to supply chain operations, transportation, and logistics. We believe that by offering Motorola’s leading edge ruggedized handheld computers and wireless infrastructure, CDO will continue to provide first-rate products and services critical to mission accomplishment,” continued Mears.

 
The AIT-IV contract is the third Army automatic identification technology contract awarded to CDO Technologies in the last year. CDO Technologies was previously selected as a prime contractor for the U.S. Army’s Passive Radio Frequency Identification (pRFID) contract. The company was also named as a subcontractor to SAVI for RFID III, an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract established by the U.S. Army on behalf of all Services for active RFID hardware, software and engineering solutions.

Alion Science and Technology wins $300M Army contract

Alion Science and Technology is one of five prime contractors to win a piece of a five-year, $300 million contract to support the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Rapid Response, Rapid Prototype Technology Initiative.

Under the contract, which extends through July 2014, McLean-based Alion will provide services including processing, supply and fabrication of armament products; prototyping and engineering services and procurement of foreign ammunition and weapons.

“Today’s ever-changing threats on the battlefield, as well as the surges in response to shifting military environments, require ARDEC [Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center] to provide working lethality and counter-lethality prototypes to its customers within weeks of receiving a requirement,” said Chris Amos, senior vice president and manager of Alion’s technology solutions group.

Alion assembled a team of 15 companies to support the Army’s rapid response prototype initiative.

Politics and Technology Featured Article

Trust Digital, a company that deals in enterprise mobility management for smartphones, has expanded its “Enterprise Mobility Management Platform” into the U.S. Army.

 
 
The company has also announced that Jason Rottenberg, managing director of OnPoint Technologies, has joined Trust Digital’s (News – Alert) board of directors following a strategic investment by the fund.
 
OnPoint Technologies is a strategic private equity investor with a mission to discover, invest in and support companies at the intersection of Army and commercial marketing needs.
 
Rottenberg has spent the last 12 years founding, building and funding early-stage technology companies.
 
According to the company officials, this new strategic investment will be used to expand Trust Digital’s customer base to include every branch of the military.
 
Mobility is an essential part of the U.S. Army doctrine; Trust Digital’s mobility management technology can benefit the over one million soldiers currently serving in this military branch.
 
Officials said that Trust Digital completed its first sale into the U.S. Department of Defense in 2006, and now the company’s EMM platform will help the U.S. Army meet their mobility objectives and enhance the usefulness of existing mobile devices through improved performance.
 
“We are constantly looking for innovative companies with products and technology that strengthens the readiness of the U.S. Army,” said Jason Rottenberg, managing director of OnPoint Technologies, in a statement.
 
Rottenberg said that Trust Digital’s technology has already demonstrated – through deployments with the Air Force and Marines – that it can address a wide variety of mobile applications for the military, from helping deliver situation awareness to Marines on the battlefield to delivering secure mobile email to U.S. airmen.
 
“We believe that the U.S. Army can leverage those same capabilities,” he added.
As the U.S. military is one of the largest mobile workforces in the country, the smartphone and ruggedized mobile device security and management needs of each military branch are extremely varied and complex.
 
The company officials claimed that the company’s EMM platform has demonstrated that it has the flexibility and sophistication to meet the unique needs of each branch of service.
 
“Our mobility management capabilities will enable U.S. military, one of the most mobile organization in the world, to use the latest handheld technologies to best serve the warfighter, regardless of the application,” said Nick Magliato, chief executive officer at Trust Digital.
 
Magliato said that the advice, guidance, analysis and assistance that the company will receive from Jason and his team will further efforts to serve the U.S. Army and Department of Defense and fuel the company’s successes in that market.

Iraq's New Buffalo Soldiers

It’s a typical day in Iraq for staff sergeant Neal Feldmann. The sun is shining and, as part of his job as combat engineer for the US Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, he’s out clearing the route to ensure safe passage for the rest of his convoy. What he doesn’t realise is, he’s about to fall into a trap.

An IED (improvised explosive device – also known as a roadside bomb) has already detonated in front of him but having decided that there’s no further danger his vehicle continues on its way. This is what the enemy wants.

As staff sergeant Feldmann’s RG-31 draws level with the pothole created by the first IED, a watching enemy soldier pushes a button and a second bomb explodes, directly underneath.

“There was a loud bang and lots of dirt and dust inside the vehicle. There was so much smoke you couldn’t see the person in front of you,” Fieldmann says. “But you just employ the techniques and tactics you’ve been taught to ensure the personnel and vehicle are OK and then carry on [with] your mission.”

Not all military convoys are so lucky, however. In December 2006 alone, 70 of the 118 coalition casualties in the Iraq war were caused by IED attack. Hence, Feldmann enjoys the protection offered by driving Buffalo and RG-31 mine-protected vehicles.

Feldmann and his colleague, specialist James Keelan, can spend between four to 37 hours at any one time out on the road. As combat engineers operating out of Camp Striker, just south of Baghdad airport, it is their job to clear routes so the rest of their convoy can pass safely.

“You’re always on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, like a wire or anything that looks suspicious,” Keelan says. “We know the things to look out for.” This constant scanning provides Feldman, and his following convoy, with the safety required to continue operating in such a demanding environment, according to Feldmann.

“You’re not on edge because you’re comfortable with the techniques and tactics you’ve been taught and with the vehicles you’ve been given. The rest of the convoy can be directly behind us or hours behind,” Feldmann says. “What we do is not 100% successful but it gives piece of mind for the soldiers in the vehicles travelling behind.”

HUMAN ERROR AND IEDS

One threat to convoy life comes from within. Ex-serviceman have been known to grumble about troops in turrets being unprepared and not carrying their weapons, soldiers falling asleep when they are meant to be on the ball and vehicles stopping for no apparent reason.

“Soldiers are always on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, like a wire or anything that looks suspicious.”"A convoy in a hostile environment needs to keep moving no matter what,” an ex-serviceman posted on the International Association of Counterterrorism and Security Professionals website.

“If stopping cannot be prevented every soldier in the convoy needs to be at the ready. Too often there are troops in turrets sitting on their butts with their hands off their weapon systems.”

But mistakes do occur and error can lead to accidents, according to Feldmann.

“We’re all human – we all make mistakes but we don’t call it human error. I’d never tell anyone they made a mistake. The Red Sox can win seven games in a row and then lose one – is that human error or is it fatigue? All we know is that we are far superior to the insurgents and we’ve proved that many times.”

As Keelan puts it: “Sure, it happens but there’s no way to eliminate it.”

By far the biggest threat faced by convoy troops in Iraq today is the IED. According to the record and testimony of the US defence department, since the war in Iraq began more than 3,398 US servicemen have lost their lives – 70% in an IED attack (figure stands for 16 May 2007).

“IEDs are the biggest threat we encounter,” Feldmann says. “I’ve been out here for nine months and in that time we’ve found 150 IEDs and been struck 60 times, so in that time that’s 210 IEDs.”

IED – IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

An IED is an improvised bomb which incorporates destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic or incendiary chemicals – it is designed to blow up people and vehicles. IEDs typically contain an explosive charge, a detonator and an initiation system. They are triggered by remote control, infrared or magnetic triggers, pressure-sensitive bars or trip wires.

What makes IEDs so dangerous is the fact that they can be manufactured anywhere by anyone with materials that are readily available. It is not uncommon for IEDs to be produced using agricultural and medical supplies by people who’ve found instructions on the internet. This means that, with no standard production formula, IEDs are difficult to track and detect.

It is a threat that is constantly evolving, according to Wayne Phillips, the vice president of Force Protection, a company that manufactures the Buffalo mine-protected clearance vehicles.

“The enemy is very adaptable,” Phillips says. “We come up with something to counter what they are doing and they counter it right back. It’s an ongoing battle.”

“What makes IEDs so dangerous is the fact that they can be manufactured anywhere by anyone with materials that are readily available.”Force Protection is not the only company working to keep troops safe from IED attack. The RG-31 Nyala is another multi-purpose mine-protected vehicle made by Land Systems OMC in South Africa. Its success at resisting IEDs is, in part, due to its steel-welded monocoque hull – as of January 2007 the US army had over 400 RG-31s in service.

THE NEW COMBAT FRONTLINE

Since Force Protection started supplying its Buffalo vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, there have been no fatalities due to IED attack, according to a Fox News Channel report broadcast on 31 October 2006.

“Our senior scientist is in my opinion the most pre-eminent blast and mine protective authority in the US,” says Philips. “Everything on the outside of our vehicles is made to be blown off, it’s expendable. We concentrate on protecting the engine and the people inside. I can’t say too much about how we do it but we use armour, different combinations of materials and jamming equipment.”

Everyone knows that the law of the jungle applies in combat situations – the fittest survive, so it is fitting that the vehicles designed by Force Protection to give soldiers the edge in the age-old convoy war are named Buffalo, Cougar and Cheetah.

The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) incorporates the most powerful blast and ballistic protection available with detection and removal capability, including a robotic arm measuring 30ft and an iron claw mounted with camera and sensory equipment. This allows personnel to examine potential threats from within the safety of the vehicle’s armoured hull. The Buffalo is the sole source for the US Defense Department’s category III Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

There are two cougars – the 4×4 mine-resistant medium vehicle, which is designed for ordnance removal, command and control and lead convoy missions, and the 6×6 mine-protected field ambulance. Both are used as MRAP vehicles.

The Cheetah is Force Protection’s newest vehicle series. It combines state-of-the-art ballistic-protection technology with the mobility of a unique light-armoured vehicle and is designed specifically for light tactical, reconnaissance, communication and urban operations. With a nuclear, biological and chemical overpressure system option, it is a perfect fit for emergency response teams and forward mobile command posts.

THE EVOLVING IED THREAT

Convoy protection is not new. Since the US Indian wars with Native Americans in the 19th century, convoys have become a major target, largely due to the people and supplies they carry.

Threats have changed over the years from the arrows of the American Indians to the bullets of the world wars and the guerrilla tactics of today.

“Mine-protected vehicles offer a new level of confidence in dealing with IEDs.”This threat means organisations such as Force Protection have to be incredibly light on their feet. Force Protection designed its newest vehicle, the Cheetah, in just one year after the US army raised warning of a new kind of IED threat.

“It’s hard to put a time frame on the production of a new vehicle but it has to be done quickly because there’s a need in the field for it,” Phillips says.

SAFE FROM HARM

Feldmann says mine-protected vehicles offer a new level of confidence in dealing with IEDs. “We’re not allowed to talk about specifics but the vehicles are designed to force energy away from you. It’s basic science,” he says.

But Feldmann says more of these vehicles are required to carry out operations with the maximum amount of efficiency and the best result. “You ask anybody here; we just need more vehicles. If one of these vehicles goes down you either have to give up your mission or carry on in a less safe vehicle. That’s when you feel on edge.”

The US Government is currently increasing the number of IED vehicles it uses in military hotspots. Force Protection’s Phillips says his company alone has received a recent order for an extra 1,000 of these vehicles.

And according to Keelan and Feldmann, you cannot have enough of these life-saving vehicles in a place where a beautiful sunny day can easily become a nightmare with nothing more than the push of a pedal.

Cougar Ridgback 4×4 Armoured Vehicle, United Kingdom

With UK Forces very much active in Afghanistan and Iraq a new vehicle has been ordered by the UK MoD (Ministry of Defence) to provide protection to troops on patrol from mines and roadside bombs. The vehicle is the Cougar 4×4 produced by Force Protection Industries Incorporated (Ladson, South Carolina) in the US, who were also responsible for the highly successful Mastiff.

By November 2008, the MoD had ordered 400 Cougars (the contract is due for completion by July 2009; a contract valued at around $200m) and these will be modified by the addition armour systems, specialist Nato-spec weapons, communications systems and electronic countermeasures equipment into the ‘Ridgback’ when they arrive in the UK (the vehicles were ordered as an urgent operational requirement (UOR)).

The first batch of five Cougars was delivered to RAF Brize Norton on 14 August 2008. NP Aerospace in Coventry has the contract (£81m) for carrying out the modifications to the Cougar.

“By November 2008, the MoD had ordered 400 Cougars.”Ridgback weaponry
The Ridgback weapons will include the heavy machine gun, 7.62mm general purpose machine gun, grenade launcher and some will be equipped with remote weapons systems allowing the Ridgback weapons to be operated from inside using a camera and joystick.

Des Browne, the UK Defence Secretary, commented: “I am determined to do all that I can to get more armoured vehicles out to our forces on operations – to give commanders a choice about what vehicles they use. The Mastiffs have saved lives out in theatre and we have ordered the Ridgback because it is a smaller version of the Mastiff – offering our forces first-rate protection with more manoeuvrability.”

The Ridgback will be produced in four variants for different roles – a troop carrier, a protected weapons station and an ambulance or command post vehicle.

Performance

The Ridgback will come into service in 2009 in Iraq and Afghanistan (it is fully transportable by C17). The vehicle can carry 12 troops and can run on run flat tyres (Michelin XZL 395/85 R20 and Hutchinson VFI) at a speed of 55mph. The Ridgback is a mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) category I vehicle with a high armour rating (shaped hull and protected cabin using composite armour systems) and will also use special armoured seats to protect troops.

The vehicle will be powered by a Caterpillar C-7 diesel engine that can give 330hp at 2,400rpm and a torque of 860ft lbf at 1,450rpm with an operational range of 420 miles.

“The first batch of five Cougars was delivered to RAF Brize Norton on 14 August 2008.”The transmission for the Cougar / Ridgback is an Allison 3500 SP series and the front and rear axles are Marmon-Herrington MT-17 and R-17 respectively (modified for the harsh terrain). The vehicle weighs around 38,000lb with a payload of 6,000lb and as such uses air brakes for effective stopping.

The standard crew is six, but with the Ridgback there will be several versions. Electrics are standard 24V and there are two air conditioning units (24,000BTU and 48,000BTU) for use in hot climates.

There are three doors (two in front and one rear double-sized crew door) and one topside hatch.

The Cougar’s standard dimensions are: height 104in (gun shield will add 26in), width 102in, length 233in, hull internal length 108in, fording depth 39in, ground clearance 15in-16in.

The cabin can be sealed to provide NBC protection and there are various other accessories including four point harnesses for seats, integral tool kit, ballistic glass, 360° ring mount or spigot mount for weapons, infrared / blackout lighting, dual spare wheels, 9,000lb-capacity electric winch and fire extinguishing systems as well as shielded ammo storage areas.

DOD Inspector General

The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General was established by Congress in 1978 to serve as the “principal adviser to the secretary of defense for matters relating to the prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in the programs and operations of the Department,” according to its Web site.
As the watchdog for Defense Department operations, the DOD IG’s office is subdivided into six areas, each headed by a deputy or assistant inspector general: auditing, investigations, policy and oversight, intelligence, administration and management, and communications and congressional liaison. Each of these divisions handles a number of activities.

For example, one of the duties of the auditing division is to evaluate the effectiveness of DOD-related programs such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ funding of relief efforts associated with Hurricane Katrina. The investigations division, among its responsibilities, examines allegations of wrongdoing by DOD personnel and takes steps to protect whistleblowers. The intelligence division reviews DOD operations related to national security, such as overseeing and evaluating the multiple investigations into prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

The DOD IG has its roots in the Office of the Inspector General of the Army, which was established by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 to review the troops to ensure both their discipline and proper treatment. As the nation’s military needs grew, each branch of the armed services formed its own IG office. The Defense Department, however, did not have its own IG office until the Inspector General Act of 1978 was passed. The Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Review and Oversight, launched in 1981, was a forerunner of the DOD IG, the first of whom, Joseph H. Sherick, was officially installed in 1983.

Cheetah MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle, USA

The four-wheeled, 20,800lb Cheetah MRAP all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV) is the newest addition to the Force Dynamics (a joint venture between Force Protection and General Dynamics Land Systems) family of armoured M-ATVs. The Cheetah incorporates blast protection technology with the mobility of a light armoured vehicle. It was developed to keep the war fighter safe and tackle evolving threats.

Force Dynamics started low-rate production of the Cheetah at its Ladson, South Carolina, facility in March 2009. The company also started to procure long-lead materials to shift from limited to extended production.

Cheetah features

The Cheetah has features similar to that of the Cougar in terms of survivability at half the curb weight of 20,800lb. With a top speed of 77mph, the Cheetah can travel over 330 miles without refuelling. It can accelerate from 0 to 30mph in 10.3 seconds and is equipped with a multiuser distributed data display and control system.

The Cheetah is multimission capable and is ideal for reconnaissance, forward command and control, patrol, security, escort, route clearance support, peacekeeping, EOD, and urban and close quarters operations.

The M-ATV offers maximum outside visibility through NVG-compatible direct view windows. Its reconfigurable interiors and rear part provide adaptability to different mission and vehicle roles. Reconfigurable features include two side access doors and one rear door, and crew / passenger equipment stowage.

“The Cheetah incorporates blast protection technology with the mobility of a light armoured vehicle.”Mobility

The Cheetah uses an independent suspension and high power / weight ratio of over 23/t resulting in 300% increase in mobility. To reduce rollover potential and provide stability the Cheetah has a very low centre of gravity and a wide wheel base.

It is adaptable to all types of climates and geography – desert, mountain, jungle, tropic, urban, tundra, snow / ice, grassland and forest. Its large tyres and central tyre inflation enable soft soil traversal as well. The Cheetah offers airlift (including the C130), sealift, amphibious and MPS transportability as well.

M-ATV armament

With a curb weight of 20,800lb and total combat weight of 23t, the Cheetah carries a maximum payload of 2,200lb. It is fully combat capable with remote weapon options, integrated surveillance sensors and gun rings that include protection kits.

Survivability

Cheetah’s monocoque hull offers a high level of survivability. Its armour provides protection of up to 30lb of TNT and is designed to accommodate add-on armour as newer composites emerge. To mitigate blast effect, the Cheetah maintains the crew about 1m above ground using a high v-shaped geometry to deflect blast. The commander can select the level of protection needed depending upon the conditions. The Cheetah can also be equipped with the Force Dynamics Force Armor Kit, which offers protection against EFP (explosively formed projectiles).

The Cheetah features an automatic fire suppression system for the crew, engine and the tyres. It also has explosion-safe fuel cells, five point restrains, run-flat tyres and blast seats.

Cheetah completed blast testing sponsored by Force Protection at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. It also cleared the initial mobility and durability testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center.

Cheetah communications

In collaboration with Raytheon Technical Services, Cheetah was equipped with a comprehensive command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system (C4ISR) plug-and-play ready architecture.

The plug-and-play ready system, built using the C4ISR Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), provides access to sophisticated networked video, radio switching, navigation systems, Blue Force tracking, counter-radio-controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED) electronic warfare and weapons systems.

“Cheetah’s monocoque
hull offers a high level of survivability.”The system incorporates net-centric integration services for remote monitoring of integrated vehicle and C4ISR systems into a single monitoring platform.

This enables the vehicle operator and commander to have the complete systems status in real time. It also provides the interoperability necessary to ensure that all vehicle and war fighting systems perform coherently.

Such interoperability provides a strategic advantage over traditional standalone vehicle and C4SIR systems which require individual control and monitoring.

The communication system also includes remote data transfer, monitoring of platform usage, and capture of failure information. The system provides local and remote service and support teams the necessary tools to monitor and manage each vehicle system more efficiently and effectively.

TACOM M-ATV programme

Force Dynamics received a $1m indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract in May 2009 from the US Army’s Tank Automotive and Armaments Command’s (TACOM) mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle programme.

The contract for three vehicles will enable the manufacturer to compete for future M-ATV orders. The contract for testing the vehicles was won after the Cheetah had passed the initial survivability and mobility screening for M-ATV solicitation.

Leading the Army's technology charge

When describing the collection of technology projects under his command, Army Maj. Gen. Nickolas Justice likes to joke that “if it’s got electricity running in it, they probably blame me for it.”

The quip understates the complexity and importance of the systems Justice runs at the Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications Tactical (PEO-C3T) at Fort Monmouth, N.J. They include the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical, the Army Battle Command System, Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below, and a mobile electricity program that supplies ruggedized power generators for the Defense Department.

In his six years as commander and several more as deputy of PEO-C3T, Justice has learned a few tricks that other government information technology executives would do well to follow, including how to get the most from the resources one has, knowing what risks are worth taking and shaping new technology to serve a mission’s needs, not the other way around. He has also become a vocal proponent of open-source software because of its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Justice spoke with Federal Computer Week contributor David Perera about putting those lessons into practice and the opportunities he’s pursuing for using open-source technology.

FCW: Can you explain how the various directorates you oversee as commander of PEO C3T fit together? They seem like a diverse group.

Justice: It’s a broad portfolio, but the function of everything is having the infrastructure to power an electronic force, or digital force.

FCW: Is it fair to say that many of the programs you oversee are charged with making systems interoperable that weren’t designed to be so?

Justice: A lot of the programs…have been around for many years in various forms. So, yes, they started out as very specific solutions to problems.

FCW: If many of the projects started out as stand-alone systems, how do you now make them interoperable?

Justice: One of the first things you want to do is separate data from the actual application. One of the things we’ve started to do is architect the Army Battle Command System into very specific services that you can call across applications. We’ve put in place the ability to share information with a publish-and-subscribe service that allows you to reduce the number of interfaces between programs. You write interfaces for a publish-and-subscribe service. That allows people to write their interface to [the service] so you have a common denominator to get information across systems.

FCW: Is service-oriented architecture the magic solution that can erase stovepipes?

Justice: It’s certainly treated that way in the press a lot of times. … It’s very fashionable to use that term. What it is, and what you need, is a defined architecture to build to and come up with common standards and solutions and allow people to develop solutions that have applicability beyond the specific intent they were defined for.

You put an architecture in place that allows you to share data with guys that you didn’t intend to share data with because you didn’t have a need, but when the need arises, you have the ability to get the data published out to places where other people can access it and use it.

I don’t think I would call SOA the ultimate solution. I think good planning and good engineering [are] how you solve problems. If you look at this world, one of the challenges you have is always new and emerging technologies. I don’t see a silver bullet out there. What I see is that as technology is fielded and becomes available, you have a number of challenges that you will always be faced with to overcome, to be able to bring a broader applicability to what the technology has to offer.

FCW: You are a noted proponent of open-source applications. What’s your assessment of the degree to which the Army has embraced them?

Justice: I have [seen] some positives and some shortfalls that I will share with you. We’ve actually embraced a lot of the open-source operating systems material and some very specific tools out there that give us collaboration tools — chat and things like that. We have a large base of open-source operating systems that we’re doing.

What we have not really embraced very well yet is open-source application development. Getting our feet wet in the open-source operating systems world is pretty easy because it matches up with some of the appliance kinds of devices that we have that go into the platforms and are embedded. But changing the culture where you’re developing applications in an open-source environment is a bit challenging for us right now.

In the applications world, you have to have a process in place that’s very collaborative and have the ability to place that software up there, have it peer reviewed, have people who are willing to invest their time and energy in making it better. That process infrastructure is just going into place right now within [the Office of the Secretary of Defense]. We’re just beginning to look at an ability to be able to share those codes around.

We’ve also got to learn to write contracts with our software developers and folks that allow us to take advantage of that. That whole world of intellectual property is a challenge throughout the whole open-source world, and it’s certainly a challenge for us in DOD, where we’re sort of new to that realm.

What I also find is the opportunity [to use] open source as we work with our coalition partners because I think a lot of the NATO nations are more embracing of open-source technology than we have been. You’ll find [that] a lot of cost solutions that we can work on with other nations are often open source.

FCW: The objections to open source include concerns about its security and stability, a possible lack of life cycle support, and a shallow industrial base. What objection concerns you most?

Justice: I hear a lot about security, but open source is not limited to concerns about security. Our security guys are concerned about software, period. I don’t see that as just limited to open source. I think a lot of the challenge, when you really push down those first responses that you hear, tends to go back to, ‘I don’t know how to contract for it. I don’t know what my deliverables are. I don’t know what my intellectual property rights are.’ How do you sustain it? That’s another question. But if you really look, there’s a large sustainment pool out there for open-source solutions.

FCW: What needs to happen, either at the Army or DOD level, to make adoption more widespread?

Justice: I think what we need to do is actively promote it more. The current process and system [are]: You go out and you look for your own sustainment, so it typically comes in a more proprietary format. We also need to take an active role and participate in that. I think a lot of our computer guys would be excellent at actually operating in that environment. And we look to do that.

Some of the criticisms are often outweighed by some of the advantages. And one of the advantages, particularly with our coalition partners, is the low cost of entrance into some very robust technologies. We find that open source allows for a very low entry fee to start playing in it. Oftentimes, that’s where we see it: new technologies that are very robust, and they give us an opportunity to leverage that kind of stuff. I found it most easy to embrace in the NATO world.

FCW: What were some of the changes PEO-C3T had to make as it began supporting battle operations in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Justice: It was really about three things that we had to adjust to. No. 1, we had to get a system-of-systems focus and really understand that, unlike in peacetime where we were just delivering a solution, people’s lives depended on what we were doing. It was imperative for us to get down into those formations and actually understand how we could assist in solving [their] challenges and sharing information and being able to make [them] more effective. And that meant taking a lot of my civilian engineer talent and sending them out to get side by side with young soldiers and spend nights in training sessions with them, learning what those soldiers actually expected out of those solutions.

Now, that sounds pretty basic, but sometimes when you look at the Army, large as it is, we often get compartmentalized in what we do. Just being out there, watching the units and being able to learn what they do and the urgency of it and the conditions in which that stuff had to operate was one of the biggest challenges.

Also, we literally had to start new forums where you take a lot of your genius people and have them get together and collaborate on common solutions, having them understand that everything in a combat formation has to be balanced against the very limited amount of resources — that you have to nurture and care for those solutions. If you can share things and reduce the footprint and the weight that unit has to carry, that in itself is of tremendous value.

We also had to partner with the science and technology community to learn how to get ahead of their cycles and engage with them far earlier so that we were able to help outline the best way to implement some of the science and technology solutions they were bringing to the table. I’ve got some of my folks who are working very closely with project managers in [the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency] and the research and development and engineering community — that whole science and technology world.

How you change some of those stovepiped solutions is to invent new technologies and do engineering changes to those solutions and integrate those into the current battle command systems.

Don't Let The America's Army Vulnerabilities Defeat You!

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” this is a typical quote relating to the strategy of fighting in the army. Technology has advanced to such great lengths that it is possible to simulate, any human activity with the inclusion of an army online world. This is exactly what has been done and today anyone can enjoy America’s Army which is a popular game that was initially developed by the United States Army. The latest news is that some vulnerabilities have been reported in America’s Army, but do not despair as this is a war that can be fought. No one’s machine is dead yet and no one’s machine has to die, in order to defeat your opponent you need to know as much as you can about your opponent.

Americas Army has many fun features and with the latest version you are able to earn medals, badges, a distinguished status as well as the ability to rank up like in the real army. You can enjoy the many wonderful benefits pertaining to this game if you have the correct operating system. If you are using Windows Vista you are safe and able to start your war in the army. Some of the files of Windows Vista include the following: arunimg.dll, bootsect.exe, cscmig.dll, diagnostic.dll and rollback.exe.

Some of the multiple vulnerabilities that you need to fight in America’s Army:

There is an error in the handling of multiple players linking the server. This can be exploited in order to create a brutal crash. This is done by sending multiple packets to port number 8777/UDP.
There is an error with the handling of queries which can be exploited in order to cause the server to enter a loop of sending error messages. This may cause high network traffic and can be done by sending crafted packets to port number 39300/UDP.
There is a null pointer dereference error within the processing of specific data types. This runs the risk of being exploited in order to cause a crash. Attackers will need to send various manipulated packets to port number 9300/UDP.
There is an error in the processing of string size values. This runs the risk of being exploited in order to cause a brutal crash. This may be done by sending a specially tampered with packet that contains negative string size values to port number port 39300.
There is an error with the processing of specific fields of data; these may be exploited in order to cause a brutal crash. This can be achieved by sending a specially tamped with packet that contains a negative fragment number to port 39300/UDP.

 
Some of the impacts of this vulnerability:
 
Denial of Service attacks
Extremely high network traffic
System crashes
The execution of arbitrary code

Table 1. The impacts of this vulnerability

 
I am now going to inform you as to which version this vulnerability has affected. This vulnerability has been confirmed in version 3.0.5. All past, present and future America’s Army gamers need to be aware of the fact that other versions may also be affected. Now for the big question, what can you do in order to be a true army player and defeat these vulnerabilities? The strategic way to fight your enemies in this war is to only play multi player games on local networks that you trust. Good luck to you all and let this be one war that you win.

House OKs $22M for area

More than $22 million could be on the way to local businesses as part of a massive, $636.3 billion defense-spending bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill still must be approved by the Senate, and those deliberations may not happen until September.

But Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha, who chairs a House subcommittee on defense spending, once again has helped steer big government contracts to companies in his hometown.

“I’m proud to secure funding for local programs that are providing our troops and the Defense Department with advanced technology, quality equipment and other important services,” Murtha said.

“These programs showcase the talent of small businesses, the skills of our local employees, and in

many cases end up saving the government money.”

The biggest local appropriation is for Johnstown’s Gautier Steel Ltd., which is slated to receive $8.1 million to continue conversion of its steelmaking facilities to a titanium-producing operation.

Three years ago, officials announced that Gautier – located in the former Bethlehem Steel Corp. mill that lines Clinton Street – had landed a contract to begin making titanium parts for military vehicles.

Other appropriations in the defense bill include:

• $5 million for MTS Technologies Inc., which has set up shop in the Greater Johns-town Technology Park in the city’s Kernville neighborhood.

The money is for continued development of an Army-vehicle system that will “improve the scheduling of maintenance and repairs, reduce logistics costs and provide safer vehicles for our troops,” Murtha said.

• $3.5 million for Compass Systems Inc., a Maryland-based company with a branch office on Mount Airy Drive in Adams Township.

Compass, an engineering firm, will provide the Defense Department with a “hand-held mobile mapping communications device,” officials said.

• $2.6 million for ESRI Corp., a California-based company that earlier this year announced an expansion into a larger Johns-town office on Eisenhower Boulevard, Richland Township.

ESRI, which bills itself as “the world’s leading developer of geographic information system technology,” is receiving government money to provide a program that Murtha says will give the Army “a deeper understanding of the battlespace.”

• $2.2 million for KDH Defense Systems Inc., a maker of military vests and equipment based in the former Bestform building along Broad Street in the Cambria City neighborhood.

KDH will continue development of light body armor that will provide better protection against high-velocity rounds and explosives, officials said.

• $800,000 for Exceptional Parent, a magazine published by EP Global Communications Inc., which is based on Main Street in downtown Johnstown.

The magazine is geared toward families who are caring for those with disabilities.

“These tools and educational programs are provided to military health-care professionals, families and those with special needs,” officials said.