efrethei@afit.af.mil (News System Account) (02/23/91)
From: efrethei@afit.af.mil (News System Account) MEDELMA@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU (Michael Edelman) writes: >Yesterday (2-13-91) two British reporters claimed that they went into >the bombed shelter and had unrestricted access to the entire structure. >They further said that they saw nothing of a military nature in the shelter. >This brings up the question of what is needed for a command and control >center. Whenever I set up my comm centers I make sure that the radios are as far away from me as possible (1-2 kilometers or so). All I really need then is some tables, chairs, paper, telephones (or remote units - doesn't really matter) and possibly a teletype or some other data terminal, plus maybe a little crypto. All of this can be removed/burned beyond recognition in seconds. ejf -- -- Erik J Fretheim efrethei@afit.af.mil AFIT/ENA Box 4151 (ATTN: CPT FRETHEIM) (513)255-5276 AVN785-5276 WPAFB, OH 45431 USA
major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) (02/26/91)
From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) > From: efrethei@afit.af.mil (News System Account) > MEDELMA@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU (Michael Edelman) writes: > >This brings up the question of what is needed for a command and control > >center. Radios, telephones, maps, acetate, grease pencils, spot report forms, unit SOP, and coffee pot. A mech/armor brigade command post operates out of a number of M577 command carriers (sorta like a stretched up M113 APC). Instead of troop seats - it's got radio racks on the left and map boards on the right and the staff can stand up and work inside. The 'normal' brigade CP consists of about 4 M577 command tracks. one each for intelligence, operations, fire support and engineer. Each track carries a 'field desk' full of all the necessary SOPs, and forms - radio instructions etc - all kinds of radios and spares, antennas up the ying-yang - canvas, light sets, coffe pots, heaters, cable, wire, and a generator to power it all. Inside this "Main CP" also sit the Air Force ALO (Air Liaison Officer) talking to the fighter pilots and/or forward air controller, the supporting combat aviation company's liaison (called a 'battle captain') and numerous lieutenants from subordinate/attached units acting as LNOs (liaison officers) anxiously awaiting to courier orders/instructions to their own units. Most brigades function with this 'large' complex as their "Main CP" - 5-6km from their forward deployed battalions. Then they set up a "Tactical CP" with one M577 about 1km from the battalions. The Tac CP has radios and one staff officer from each - operations, intelligence, and fire support. The theory is - the Tac CP "fights today's battle" in direct radio communication with fire and manuever elements. The Main CP "plans for tomorrow's battle" and communicates with "higher" (division). battle" > Whenever I set up my comm centers I make sure that the radios are as far > away from me as possible (1-2 kilometers or so). You're right, whenever the Air Force was with our CP we made sure your radios were far away from us = hi-powered MRC-106 HF transmitters. mike schmitt
carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) (02/27/91)
From: carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) In article <1991Feb26.012058.5985@cbnews.att.com> bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) writes: >> From: efrethei@afit.af.mil (News System Account) >> MEDELMA@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU (Michael Edelman) writes: > >> >This brings up the question of what is needed for a command and control >> >center. > > The 'normal' brigade CP consists of about 4 M577 command tracks. > one each for intelligence, operations, fire support and engineer. > Each track carries a 'field desk' full of all the necessary SOPs, > and forms - radio instructions etc - all kinds of radios and spares, > antennas up the ying-yang - canvas, light sets, coffe pots, heaters, > cable, wire, and a generator to power it all. Inside this "Main CP" > also sit the Air Force ALO (Air Liaison Officer) talking to the fighter > pilots and/or forward air controller, the supporting combat aviation > company's liaison (called a 'battle captain') and numerous lieutenants > from subordinate/attached units acting as LNOs (liaison officers) > anxiously awaiting to courier orders/instructions to their own units. > > mike schmitt One other item the Brigade CP has is several touch-tone telephones, which gives them direct dial access throughout the division area and may give them connectivity to Corps or higher. The telephones are connected to automatic switchboards that are primitive by AT&T standards, but still work very well. The boards can have up to 90 lines (although at Brigade I think they only use a 30 or 60 line configuration). Local numbers are 3 digits and "long-distance" to division or to other brigades is 9xx-xxx. Division Signal publishes phonebooks and it is fairly easy to locate and call anyone else in the Division. The telephone traffic trunk lines are multiplexed with other circuits and tranmitted through a grid of interconnected multichannel VHF radio systems. All VHF circuits are bulk-encrypted and classified traffic can be discussed over the telephone. Brigades also usually have a facsimile system, which is used to send intelligence summaries, diagrams, or anything else you might think of. Each brigade also has a comm center that provide over-the-counter service for transmission by facsimile or radio-teletype and for delivery by courier. Infantry battalion CPs are supposed to have a line into the brigade automatic switchboard, but very few units run the line unless they know they are going to stay in place for a while. Battalions use single-channel VHF FM radios with encryption devices for most of their commo to Brigade and to their companies. Battalions may run wire to the companies in the defense, but in the offense it is usually too time consuming. The fire support officer at battalion is an artillery officer assigned to a unit in DIVARTY and tasked as direct support to a specific battalion. He talks up to DIVARTY and down to his FIST team chiefs that are with each company in the battalion. The FSO uses a different set of radio nets than the infantry/armor staff in the CP. Bruce Carlson carlson@gateway.mitre.org
rja@Eng.Sun.COM (Robert Allen) (02/28/91)
From: rja@Eng.Sun.COM (Robert Allen)
In article <1991Feb27.022225.22937@cbnews.att.com> carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) writes:
+
+One other item the Brigade CP has is several touch-tone telephones,
+which gives them direct dial access throughout the division area and
+may give them connectivity to Corps or higher. The telephones are connected
+to automatic switchboards that are primitive by AT&T standards, but
+still work very well. The boards can have up to 90 lines (although at
+Brigade I think they only use a 30 or 60 line configuration). Local
+numbers are 3 digits and "long-distance" to division or to other
+brigades is 9xx-xxx. Division Signal publishes phonebooks and it
+is fairly easy to locate and call anyone else in the Division.
In theory. In practice I've noticed that phone communication is
often spotty, and tends to get worse near the shift changes of the
manning personal.
+
+Infantry battalion CPs are supposed to have a line into the brigade
+automatic switchboard, but very few units run the line unless they
+know they are going to stay in place for a while. Battalions use
+single-channel VHF FM radios with encryption devices for most
+of their commo to Brigade and to their companies. Battalions may run
+wire to the companies in the defense, but in the offense it is usually
+too time consuming.
I'm not certain, but I think that the model you describe may be more
apt for the Army than the Marines. In my experiences working with
the 9th ID, such as you describe was the case. In my limited exposure
to the work of the 3rd Mar. Div. however I noticed that the comm
backbone was much less static, and much more dependant on humans
than on comm hardware.
--
Robert Allen, rja@sun.com DISCLAIMER: I disclaim everything.
"The intelligent man is one who has successfully fulfilled many
accomplishments, and is yet willing to learn more." - Ed Parker