Army successfully tests WIN-T

The Army said it successfully tested last month a prototype of the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T), the service’s future battlefield communications system.

The WIN-T prototype effectively used ground, air and space networking technologies to provide soldiers with high-bandwidth, mobile communications when they stopped quickly and as they moved rapidly. The system also efficiently withstood electronic jamming and computer viruses and denial-of-service attacks, according to a Dec. 5 Army statement.

“The demo executed flawlessly," said Col. Angel Colon, the Army’s WIN-T project manager. "While we have not received results that give us a detailed view of all aspects of WIN-T in action, I am confident that the objectives of the test were met and will demonstrate tremendous progress.”

The Army tested the WIN-T prototype Nov. 3-18 at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., the headquarters of the service’s communications units. Soldiers from the 11th Signal Brigade operated the system and received a two-week training course on it.

The Army’s Training and Doctrine Command’s Signal Center oversaw the testing. The Test and Evaluation Command’s Operational Test Command led the information assurance portion.

WIN-T is in the system development and demonstration acquisition phase and is due for fielding later this decade. The $10 billion system is being built by an industry team led by General Dynamics and subcontractors Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Harris and L-3 Communication Systems.