- The war with Iraq began with the US Army's most versatile soldiers trained to deploy and execute the initial stages of an offensive strategy. Their primary mission, as with all directives that call on their abilities, require action within only 18 hours of notification. These combat-ready men and women comprise the 82nd Airborne, a first-strike division that floods the skies with paratroopers and equipment to overwhelm the enemy and secure the surrounding terrain for additional military might to arrive. As this elite force follows each order in a series of well-planned attacks, the division's first-ever portable command center employs the power and speed of AMX control technology.
- Integrated plasmas, projectors and computers help to quickly identify launched Iraqi missiles, track friendly coalition units and enemy installations, receive live satellite news feeds, and update a real-time map of artillery targets. Systems integrator MCSi (Raleigh, NC) in cooperation with RGB Spectrum used AMX Control Systems and Touch Panels to seamlessly connect all electronic equipment. At the touch of a button, top level Army commanders can evaluate current battle conditions, determine future strategy, and remain in communications with central command stateside.
More Flexible, More Effective Military
- The 82nd's portable command center, one of only two in existence, reflects President Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's plan to harness technology in creating a more flexible and ultimately more effective military. This tent-like facility constructed with trusses holds hundreds of troops and and a multitude of audio/video communications, each piece designed to be broken down, packed, and ready to transport within a matter of minutes. All the cables and ports to source equipment are color-coded, so any soldier with minimal technical experience can easily reconnect the entire command center. Quite impressive when you consider the amount of devices inside the command center:
Pressure on the Home Front
- Months before the first strikes on Baghdad, the 82nd Airborne came to MCSi with plans to develop the portable command center. The division had used one for missions in Afghanistan after the 9-11 attacks, but demanded faster, more reliable, and very easy to use electronics for an enhanced version that would be "going to a foreign country soon," according to Betsy Mayer of MCSi. Receiving word of the project in September 2002, MCSi had only a few weeks to finish the job.
- "The pressure was incredible," Mayer said. "The actual turn-around was extremely tight. It was really important to get all the equipment in there under a tight schedule. Consider all the normal paperwork and processes of a large company like MCSi and add all the extra paperwork and processes of the companies we were working with. Thankfully the manufacturers were cooperative. I worked with Pete Baca at AMX. He dropped what he was doing to help us and worked hard on getting this done."
AMX: Built to Last
- Anticipating daily operations in the dry, sandy landscape of Iraq, which contrasts greatly with the woodlands of North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne required products that were made with the highest quality. MCSi turned to AMX, which has done well in proving reliable in the most extreme environments, from sand storms that last days to the intense heat.
- "Because the soldiers are cut off from the conveniences of the rest of the world, it is very important to have quality products that can be counted on to work right," Mayer said. "From what we have heard, a plasma broke down and a monitor went out, but the AMX equipment keeps on ticking."
Mission Control in the Desert
- The 82nd Airborne portable command center has been described like NASA's Mission Control on a desert campout. Sixteen inputs can be configured to operate any combination of computer and video sources. Sixteen outputs can deliver audio and video to other devices positioned up to 1,000 feet away. RGB Spectrum's Quadview Plus display system reveals four different sources simultaneously. Stage trusses are erected to hang projectors and screens. The AMX Control System and 10.4" Touch Panel provide one-touch control when time is of the essence and results are indeed paramount. Over the phone and by email, MCSi installers and Baca trained soldiers in the 82nd division on how to hook up the entire system, use the AMX products, and even update software.
- "They thanked us for all our support and were quite pleased with the system before they left," Mayer said. "This is all very exciting for us. When they do arrive home, this portable command center will serve as the baseline for future creations. We are looking forward to getting their feedback. From what we understand, this is the first of many more to come."
