Funding transformation means funding IT

The Bush administration's fiscal 2003 budget includes many projects that would rely on information technology to help the Defense Department achieve its transformation goals. The budget includes:

* $172 million to continue developing the Joint Tactical Radio System, a computer that serves as a multipurpose radio system, enabling voice and data communications across the armed services.

* $150 million for the Link-16 tactical data link system, a jam-resistant, high-capacity, secure digital communications system that will provide near-real-time data and link tactical commanders to shooters in the air, on the ground and at sea.

* $136.5 million for the Automated Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance System, a joint ground system that provides next-generation intelligence tasking, processing, exploitation and reporting capabilities.

* $77 million for the Land Warrior soldier modernization program, which would integrate small arms with high-tech communications, sensors and other equipment to make forces on the ground more lethal.

* $61 million for the Warfighter Information Network, the radio equivalent of the World Wide Web, to provide secure networking capabilities to everyone from frontline soldiers to commanders.

* $40 million for Deployable Joint Command and Control, a program for new land- and sea-based command and control centers that can be easily relocated as tactical situations require.

n $29 million for Horizontal Battlefield Digitization, which will help give U.S. forces a common operational picture of a battlefield.