The Army finally knows what it needs to help GPS-denied troops

By: Mark Pomerleau

The Army is nearing the finalization of its first set of requirements for a vehicle-based assured position, navigation and timing solution.

The six- to seven-page capabilities requirements document is waiting signature from Army leadership, Willie Nelson, director of the assured-PNT cross-functional team, said Oct. 9 at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Nelson described this feat as a somewhat watershed moment for the Army because the service has been trying for years to compete a requirements document. Previously, the approach was trying to come up with a systems-of-systems approach for the entire Army that ended up being too big and too expensive.

Now, the approach is to break off smaller chunks to be more manageable. This includes a mounted requirement, which is completed and awaiting signature, a dismounted requirement, which is also nearly complete, as well as others.

The program managers are now using rapid equipping contracting vehicles to get after solutions in this space immediately.

Nelson also said the plan for engaging industry is to ask for specific solutions within each of the position, navigation and timing sectors as opposed to only something that addresses all the above.

“I break it down because I think everybody has an area within that. Maybe you've got a specialty area where you've got a unique or innovative capability that can help in one of these areas, we're all ears,” he said.

The Army is planning an industry day in Austin, Texas, for February or March where it plans to provide industry with technical and program or record roadmaps in the the mounted, dismounted and aerial spheres of assured-PNT realm.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/digital-show-dailies/ausa/2018/10/09/the-army-finally-knows-what-it-needs-to-help-gps-denied-troops