US soldiers of the Stryker Brigade test a potential Army Command Post CPI2 prototype
According to information released by the U.S. Army on July 27, 2021, U.S. Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team have tested a potential Army Command Post (CPI2) prototype that underwent operational testing during the annual Bayonet Focus Exercise here recently.
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An M1087 Expandable Van Shelter houses the Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) System under operational test by Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. (Picture source U.S. Army )
U.S. soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) tried out the Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) System gear while preparing for their upcoming National Training Center rotation.
The 2nd SBCT used the CPI2 vehicles as their sole Mission Command centers for the exercise duration, according to Ms. Marjorie Gill, Test Officer, with the Fort Hood, Texas-based Mission Command Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command. They also did a series of jump scenarios to demonstrate the CPI2 ability to be torn down, moved, and set up again quickly.
The CPI2 is based on the M1087 FMTV 5 ton Expansible Van which is a member of the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV), providing tactical unit mobility and logistics for the U.S. Army and the other military services. The crew cabin of the truck is armored to provide protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. It integrates capabilities on Mission Command Platforms (MCP) and Command Post Support Vehicles (CPSV), aligning with the Army’s Command Post (CP) efforts to enhance Brigade and higher echelons with Mission Command (MC) resources on any battlefield.
The CPI2 system’s goal is to use a combination of various vehicle platforms and shelter systems, which allow different levels of command posts the functionality needed while increasing survivability by being able to tear down and move locations fast. It integrates emerging technologies and capabilities with mobile mission command platforms and command post support vehicles for improved agility and survivability on the battlefield.
The current test was part of Increment 0, involving multiple phases of prototyping, integration, and follow-on formal design decisions resulting in the fielding of a standardized CPI2 command post to 5 different Brigade Combat Team (BCT) configurations as part of Capability Set (CS) 23.
The next phases of testing will involve units different from 2nd SBCT, so the U.S. Army gains a better perspective of how the current system design will support command post operations of the various units in today’s Army.
