The Balkan digitization initiative

Late in 1998, the Commander, US Army Europe (USAREUR), requested that Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications Systems (PEO C3S) evaluate the use of Force XXI systems and technologies to enhance the capabilities of the stabilization forces in Bosnia and Kosovo. The resulting material solution consisted of a variant of the Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2), packaged on a commercial hardware suite and renamed the Enhanced Information System (EIS). Due to the lack of enhanced position location radio systems (EPLRS) normally used with FBCB2 and terrain restrictions on line-of-sight, the QUALCOMM Incorporated OmniTRACS® Mobile Information Management System, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) two-way mobile satellite-based data communication and vehicle position/location tracking system, is used as the communications path. In late 1999 an OmniTRACS system, including a complete network management facility (NMF), was deployed within the USAREUR Theater to provide a command and control capability to track U.S. ground vehicles on patrol in the Balkans. This OmniTRACS system, referred to as Contingency Force Tracking System (CFTS), provides the communications path for the EIS. In Bosnia, there are 70 vehicles deployed with EIS systems that automatically provide the patrols with their current position location, as well as the position location of adjacent vehicles, all without operator action. These position locations are also being sent to a web-based data broker for worldwide dissemination. In Kosovo, there are approximate 450 vehicles equipped with OmniTRACS hardware using the CFTS for two-way mobile satellite-based data communication. In both countries, position locations are provided through a software interface to the Global Command and Control System (Army) at USAREUR Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany for inclusion into the common operational picture (COP).