Unique Tactical Vehicles Being Integrated with Network Systems.

The development of NIE 15.2 has been in the works for more than a year, as System of Systems Engineering and Integration, Capability Package Directorate, or CPD, begins the fleet vehicle build - planning has become reality. The average Army tactical vehicle transforms into a unique prototype and people from throughout the country begin to travel to Fort Bliss to get a first-hand look.

"Our triad mission is to ensure that a synchronized, integrated, and validated NIE network is established," said Col. Terrece Harris, director of capability package, which oversees the vehicle builds and collaborates with experts on the systems. "Our processes, which includes fleet build enables us to achieve our ultimate objective, which is ensuring that Soldiers receive approved NIE equipment through the capability set fielding efforts."

Before building the entire fleet of more than 200 vehicles, the System Integration Division designed and built more than 20 vehicles known as golden vehicles. The golden vehicles are the original designs, which the rest of the fleet will be based upon.

"We design and build vehicles that don't currently exist, getting the golden vehicles just right is crucial to the entire NIE timeline" said John Pollard, chief of System Integration Division within CPD. "Once we begin our fleet build, there is no room for error."

With NIE Soldier feedback, system engineers are able to make improvements and updates based on real evaluations rather than assumptions. The NIEs are executed on a semi-annual basis to keep the acquisition process continuously moving and to provide industry a streamline of feedback.

The Brigade Modernization Command (BMC) is the new name for the Future Force Integration Directorate (FFID). The change reflects the Army’s commitment to its Incremental Brigade Modernization strategy and its effort to make BMC and the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division the centerpiece of integrated network evaluations at Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range. The Network Integration Evaluation is a series of semi-annual evaluations designed to establish a Network Baseline and then rapidly build and mature the Army’s tactical Network.