Marine Corps news (July 28, 2005): 'techies' hopping to meet OIF digital demand.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (July 28, 2005)--Local "techies" are engineering a brave, new, and highly mobile world of command and control--one that's stretching combat communication horizons even further from the old Corps' string-and-styrofoam-cup traditions.

It's a modular world of laptops and digital links--the backbone of a command center that can be erected or torn down in seven minutes, say technical experts with the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity here.

They demonstrated the system, dubbed a Unit Operations Center, recently here. They're fielding the systems at a faster rate than planned in response to urgent requests from commanders in Iraq, where nine of the systems already have been employed, said Bryan D. Nguyen, UOC system engineer.

"It maximizes the decision-making process--[which ultimately] brings Marines home," said Capt. Jason A. Hamilton, UOC logistician for Marine Corps Systems Command.

Behind a barbed-wired, chain-link fence, guarded by devil dogs posted like a pair of Rottweilers, the communications system is shrouded in secrecy.

It's also still being developed. One fielded model may be slightly modified from the last one.

"Although there is a need, the UOC is constantly going through prototype [phases]," Nguyen said.

Anyway, it's been a long time coming: "The concept has always been here since the early '90s," Nguyen added.

Under its self-contained tent is an air-conditioned space holding the system's heart--laptops and projection screens depicting the battlespace for commanders to direct firefights.

"The commander-to-commander communication is vital in accomplishing the mission and saving lives," Hamilton said.

"In the past, friendly fires happened because of lack of communication," he added, alluding to the map-and-thumbtack days.

MCTSSA is educating Marines on the technology to guard against such tragedies.

"We have civilians teaching Marines so they can teach fellow devil dogs to troubleshoot. And if they can't find the answer, they're referred back to their initial instructors," Nguyen said.

MCTSSA has already fielded nine systems for use in Iraq. But MCTSSA technicians and engineers are continually configuring and refining systems to meet increasing demand, Nguyen said.

"We have been producing UOC systems every three months to meet the requests coming from [overseas]," Hamilton said.

The system figures to become a mainstay on the battlefield in years to come--because its "open systems" design is adaptable to changing technology, Hamilton said.

"When computer parts in the UOC get outdated, we can just go to Radio Shack and replace an old part with a new one," Hamilton said.

Hamilton says commanders "are very excited" about the system's command-and-control profile. Instead of using radios, they "can actually use e-mail to text each other in chat rooms," he said.

The system is portable, he noted. It can easily be transported in humvees.

MCTSSA is working steadily to get more of these state-of-the-art systems to the battlefield, Hamilton said.

"As long as they're satisfied, we'll keep hard-charging to provide [commanders] with support," Hamilton said.

MCTSSA hopes to have fielded as many as 33 such systems by next spring, Nguyen added.

Lance Cpl. Ray Lewis, USMC