Photo via Lance Cpl. Ethan LeBlanc
The Executive Director of the Earth Systems Program recently completed the commissioning of all production sets to their full capacity under aviation and the non-unusual system.
The task ended nearly two years before the deadline, saving the government millions of dollars.
CAC2S modernizes the command and aviation capability of the Marine Corps applied through the aviation combat element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, replacing different systems and offering the Marines mandatory material, software and amenities to provide complete air command and coordination.
The modular and scalable formula reduces the physical length and logistical footprint of maritime air and formula equipment, greatly expanding communication on the battlefield and mobility for Marines in the theater.
“CAC2S provides Marines with enhanced situational awareness and the ability to collect and transmit data on the battlefield,” said Major John McCormack, CAC2S Commissioning Team Leader at PEO Land Systems. “It’s really important, especially with emerging new concepts, especially for [forward expeditionary base operations]. “
The program sent CAC2S in two phases. The initial phase, which ended in the table in 2013, laid the groundwork for phase two by constructing the initial product demonstration formula and the baselines of the communication formula.
Integrated phase two technologies that took a step forward in the CAC2S sensor knowledge formula. The program’s workplace also reconfigured the formula for compatibility with a single Humvee, Humvee mix and trailer noted in phase one. This phase ended in July.
“CAC2S provides Marines with more of the scenario and the ability to obtain and disseminate data in the battle box. “Major John McCormack, HEAD of the CAC2S box team
“[The deployment of two] increases the portability, mobility and flexibility that are inherent in having the formula in the back of a single vehicle,” McCormack said.
While the first phase of CAC2S was a government-built capability, Phase Two was built through General Dynamics as a component of a competitive production contract.
Mark Lamczyk, deputy director of the sensor production and aviation command program at PEO Land Systems, attributes the appointment collaboration between PEO Land Systems and the formula maker as a key factor in allowing the program to grow. Acquire and deliver all CAC2S formulas ahead of schedule.
“For a full implementation of the formula, our procurement resolution memorandum objective [of 50 formulas] September 2021 and the March 2022 threshold,” Lamczyk said. “We completed the final commissioning of our full capacity production formulas in one of our Marine Corps Reserve squadrons in July, achieving a full deployment 14 months before the target and 20 months before the threshold.
Due to the highly technical and software nature of CAC2S, Phases One and Two first had two separate software versions, Lamczyk said. The program’s workplace was able to provide a non-unusual software base that allowed the contractor to reuse phase one phase two software, saving the government time and streamlining costs.
“[The non-unusual software baseline] allowed us to take the software licenses that we purchased for the first phase and return them to General Dynamics as [information provided by the government],” Lamczyk said. “Their ability to reuse core software that evolved and tested in Phase One, and integrate it into their Phase Two versions, has made it conceivable to realize much of our load savings and recoup some of our time. “
While the program office’s adoption of a not unusual software baseline expedited the implementation of the CAC2S software, the collaboration of the box at the contractor’s facility accelerated the production of physical units.
“We had our government production manager [for CAC2S], Martin Reeve, located in the same location [in Arizona where CAC2S was being produced] on the production site for the duration of production,” explained Lamczyk. “Having him alongside his industry counterpart, Tim Tarkett, has helped alleviate the demanding situations of real-time production. [The presence of the prefect on site] allowed us to save time in the progression of the system. “
Now that CAC2S is fully operational, the program is exploring long-term formula programs in a variety of settings. The program worked with Naval Sea Systems Command to explore the integration of CAC2S on L-Class Navy ships, Lamczyk said.
The Marine Corps is also contemplating expanding the role of CAC2S to come with air traffic control, which modifies the formula to meet the needs of air traffic control. The program workplace is also being run with the Marine Corps Warfare Laboratory Rapid Capabilities workplace to take advantage of the formula’s functions and provide it in an even smaller shape configuration, which would be to support expeditionary operations. long-term complex.
“Continuing with CAC2S, we must ensure that we continue to provide Marines with a resilient air command and control capability, an expeditionary and portable capability even more successfully than it is of late,” he said. Lamczyk said.