The U.S. Department of Defense has authorized the Army to proceed with a follow-on order of Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2 (Inc 2). The Army awarded General Dynamics C4 Systems a delivery order valued at approximately $111 million to procure the next lot of WIN-T Inc 2 network nodes for additional brigade combat teams and division headquarters units. WIN-T Inc 2 is a central component of current and future capability sets.
Continued fielding of the WIN-T Inc 2 network builds on the system’s success achieved over the summer when WIN-T Inc 2 was deployed in its first combat patrol in Afghanistan, using its on-the-move capability between several network nodes. The first brigade-level deployment of the WIN-T Inc 2 system is currently supporting soldiers with the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (4/10) in Afghanistan. Their mission to support Afghan security forces involves communications across dispersed forces in some of the most rugged, remote locations in Afghanistan.
In response to the system’s first combat deployment over the summer, Maj. Gary Pickens, communications officer for the 4/10, said in a previously published Army article, “The enhanced situational awareness given to us by this suite of technology has allowed us to maintain a ‘digital guardian angel’ as we conduct our advising duties and missions…. The various platforms of [Capability Set 13] give us a digital reach like we’ve never had before.”
“WIN-T Inc 2 is the backbone of the Soldier’s Network and this order ensures we continue the work of fielding this unprecedented system to soldiers throughout the Army, Reserves and National Guard,” said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. “Without WIN-T Inc 2, soldiers simply do not have the communications capabilities this technology provides. We look forward to working with the Army to complete the production of its on-the-move network.”
WIN-T is the Army’s mobile battlefield network at the company level and above. It provides mission-critical voice, video and data to soldiers, on-the-move in their vehicles. WIN-T Increment 1 is now fully fielded to 210 active duty, reserve and National Guard units. WIN-T Inc 2 moves with commanders and provides situational awareness and the ability to command from anywhere on the battlefield.
Production for the WIN-T Inc 2 system takes place primarily at General Dynamics C4 Systems’ facility in Taunton, Mass., and supports thousands of jobs throughout the country at General Dynamics’ locations and across the 500 supplier companies for the Soldier’s Network.
