Combat Vehicle Command and Control

Combat Vehicle Command and Control Gvd, an improved version of the M1A2's IVIS system, is now being studied. This is how one version under development would work .. , by Captain Derek C. Schneider "They're all here. sir," his loader announced. CPT Steiner looked up from his tactical display and thought, "Here it goes," He dismounted his M 1 A2 tank and approached his men. He could have done this over the net but be wanted one last chance to see his men and for them to see him. "As you already know, io the next few hours we will be in battle. Unlike the last war, this one won't be against inferior equipment or personnel," CPT Steiner began. '''The enemy has the latest generation of Western tanks. He has the same 120-mm gun, the same type armor and ftre control systems. He is highly motivated and well trained. We can't rely upon our superior weaponry to beat rum." The commander paused for a mo-meD!' He looked inlo the faces of his soldiers. They all looked stem. The commander smiled. "We do however, have an edge. The computer in these things," he said patting the front slope of his tank. "wiU allow us to strike and react so quickly the enemy won't know his head from his hiney," The soldiers gave a quick laugh which helped to break the tension. "Now, you know the plan," he continued, "move separately, fight together. Stick with it and we will win. If there are no questions. get to your tanks and good hunting." The preliminary battle went more or less according to plan. The company, fIghting dispersed.. was able to destroy most of the enemy's recon. The enemy, spotting tanks in groups of two or less.. never got a good idea of the company's positions. When the eo-emy's main body approached, it was met with fLres that seemed 10 come from a multitude of directioos. all expertly coordinated. Indirect fires were falling on the enemy's formations.. No matler where they turned.. lbe ftres were immediately adjusted onto them. The ftght was quickly over. CPT Steiner saw almost 30 vehicles burning in front of his position. On his display. he quickly called up his logis- 40 tics screens. Ammo and fuel were low for each vehicle, but he could see that there was enough for another flghl The problem was that two tanks were not reporting. CPT Steiner tried calling over voice and discovered that while one vehicle had been destroyed, the other tank had been hit but was still operational with just the logistical portion of its computer malfunctioning. CPT Steiner made the correction to his starus and it was automatically relayed higher. "Alpha 6, this is Hotel 6," the net crackled. Bulldog was overrun. Follow-on enemy elements are entering his sector. r need you to counterattack into their flank. Sending graphics and fTago." CPT Steiner quickly cleared his display and called up the new graphics. He added some control measures of IUs own. With a "sending frago," he sent them to his subordinates. He gave them a minute to post them, and digest the information, and for the platoon leaders to further modify the graphics to fit their needs. The WIL-COs appearing on his screen showed him that al.l of his elements had received and understood the mission. "Since there are no questions, execute now." Less than three minutes had elapsed since CPT Steiner had re-cei ved the graphics and the counterattack was under way. A few minutes later, his radio came to life. "Alpha 6. Red 1. It looks as if the enemy was expecting this. There is what looks like a FASCAM mine· field across the route. Sending." A minefield symbol appeared on Steiner's display. From the map on the display it appeared to be blocking the entire valley that Alpha Company oeeded for its counterattack. "Alpha 6, Blue 4. Have spotted by· pass. Suggest we change the attack plan as follows. Sending." CPT Stein· er added the changes to the graphics to his display. He sUJdied them a moment. "Roger, I agree. Sending." With a push of the thumb switch CPT Steiner sent the changed gt"apruc to higher and lower units. "Ex.ecute now." The counterattack hit the enemy in what was thought to be a secured flank. Alpha Company quickly destroyed the enemy's thrust Looking at the comer on his displ ay, Steiner noticed that less than two hOlm bad passed.. ft felt like a lifetime. Just then, the I SG puUed up with the LOGPAC. It included exactly enough ammo, fuel, and personnel to bring the company up to I DO percent. As the crew of A66 uploaded with ammo, the radio came alive. "Alpha 6, Hotel 6. Frago follows. Sending." "Here we go." Steiner thought to himself. The above scenario describes some of the ways !bat the Combat Vehicle Conunand and Control (CvC2) sys- (em could be used in future combat. The CVC2 is the second-generation computer system designed for use in the M I A2. While tank technology bas made dramatic bounds since World War n, there had been almost no improvements in command and control ((.")' , /oJ, _ ........ . ........ ..:.. .......... , .... " ... ........ ,......; .. _ ...... ------ _ ...... , ... .... _,'.'\ pi ._"_._ eve

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• bird'".,.. ."w ........ ' ,Idl... ~ ~Iow ........ "''''' "" _ ..... _;r;. .... "'o- .. "P""'''', no. ...- wUJ aloo _ 1Ii< .... ,,"""', """"" """ .... 10: __ '" oil rn. .... , ,_ ... , Th< ..,..,. .... -. ..,. . ... -, !:.;!::.:' ~;.., ';I''':: - - '"'I' ,,010, 'Tho ...... r ........ 110'liii0 ___ , _ ..... ' 'm ...... _ - eve' !No __ ....... , .. "'" .. "" 5... , __ -,.""--- eve' 10 ...... <-. _ """ ~ ..... -...- ........ - " map overlays, and perfOIUl various vehicle support functions. There are six buttons below the touch panel that select the primary functions: OPS - There are four items in the Ops function - Warning Order, Frago, Call for Fire, and Call for CAS. WILCO will light when your subordinates receive and confirm orders. ALERTS - The Alert functions include NBC, MOPP Status, and Redcon. REPORTS - The reports available are contact, spot, sittep, NBC, tactical, logistics, route, bridge, shell, obstacle, and minefield laying. OVERLAYS - The overlay function is used to view and edit map overlays. Free draw capability allows original overlays to be developed. SET UP - The set-up function is used to set the initial va1ues in various tank systems, such as SINGARS and POSINA v. It is also used to set and send waypoints. VEH SUP - The Vehicle Support function performs backup and checks the vehicle's functions. In combat mode, the CVC2 is used to create, send, and receive fragmentary orders (Fragos), alerts, fire support coordination, tactical map overlays, contact reports, and spot reports. It also performs the sarne vehicle support functions. The combat mode includes only those items deemed critical to combat. The functions in combat mode are just slimmed-down versions of those in the pre/post combat mode. The diagnostic functions are identical to those in the M lA2 IV1S system. These are used to detect and isolate failures in the system. It is like an internal STA-ML The only drawback to the CVC2 is that it is too efficient. It allows higher commanders too much detailed information. Higher conunanders may find themselves suffering from infonnation overload, inhibiting their ability to make a decision. The opposite side of the coin is that the higher commanders may be tempted to use the power of the system to act as a Vietnam-era 42 eye-in-the-sky, micromanaging platoon and smaller-sized elements. These are problems to be addressed through training and doctrine, rather than changes in the CVC2 system. Victory depends upon effective command and control during the chaos of battle. Amid the ever-increasing tempo of modem combat, the commander is faced with the difficult task of keeping up with changing events and quickly organizing his unit to make a decisive response. With the proliferation of modern weaponry, we can no longer rely upon 50-year-old command and control techniques to provide victory. eve' is a possible solution to this problem. By allowing near-real-time accurate infonnation flow, it enables the commander to make rapid and timely decisions. This may be the edge needed to separate victory from defeat. Editor's Note: Several teams are currently working on development of the CVC' system. CPT Schneider's ar-ricle is based on his work wirh the CECOM version of CVC', which may differ slightly from other versions u,,- der development. Captain Derek C. Schneider was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo in 1987. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and served as a platoon leader with 1/149 Armor CAANG. He also served as a platoon leader and tank company XO in Germany and the Persian Gulf. He has worked wrth two design and evaluation teams of the CVCC program. He is a graduate of AOBC, AOAC, BMOC, CLC, Airborne, and attended the Engineer Officer Advanced Course. He is currently assigned to the 2ACR, Ft. Polk, La. The Decisive Point (Continued from Page 39) fact, after thorough analysis, the Commander and his staff might find validity in multiple possible decisive points of varying descriptions. All these points may be important to the mission and therefore the unit should address them in the scheme of maneuver. However, the commander must select ODe as the decisive point to provide focus for the unit's planning, preparation, and execution. Liddell Hart, in his 1944 work. Thoughts on War, states: "The principles of war could, for brevity, be condensed into a single word: ·ConcentraIion.' "5 Concentration indeed, but where? Intuitively, commanders know that concentration at the right place is fun· damental to successful combat A conunander must begin to concentrate his unit toward that "right place" early in the tactical decision-making process. His designation of the decisive point for each mission will provide tbe necessary focus aI the beginning of the planning process and provide the "place" for the application of the unit's combat power. Notes IFM 100-5, Operations. 14 June 1993, p. 6-7. 6-8. "2FM 7-10. The Infantry Rifle Company. 14 December 1990, p. 2-19, 2-24. 3FM 71-2, me Tank and Mechanjzed Infantry Battalion Task Force. T7 September 1988, p. 3- 25. "FM t 00-5. p. 2-4. 5Liddell Hart. Sir Basil. Thoughts on War, 1944, as quoted in Dicttcrw.ry of Military and Naval Quotations, United Stales Naval lnstitute. Annapolis, Maryland. 1966, Robert Debs Heinl. editor. Captain David J. Lemelin is a tactics small group instructor in the AOAC at Ft Knox, Ky. He was commissioned in Infantry from West Point in 1983. He served as a light infantry platoon leader and in other assignments in the 193d Infantry Brigade in Panama. He commanded a BFV-equipped infantry company and an armored battalion HHC, both in the 1 st Cav Division. He commanded throughout DESERT SHlELDiDE-

SERTSTORM.