Army testing high-bandwidth tactical network
The Mobile User Objective System, a satellite network for all of the military services, is 16 times faster than the current Ultra High Frequency satellite system.
release. WIN-T manages JENM for the joint services.
The latest version of JENM features a few improvements, including easier configuration management and advanced troubleshooting features that allow soldiers to be more self-reliant with the radios, and therefore less dependent of communications specialists, or S6s.
"One of the biggest benefits of JENM is that it reduces user error since soldiers and S6s don't have to load mission plans into every individual radio by hand," said Spc. Lewis Solomon, CNR signal support systems specialist for 2/1 AD. "It is getting real simple to upload the radios and plans. All you have to do is plug, load and use the radio. It saves a lot of time."
That ease-of-use feature helps streamline operations of software-defined radios, which can break down interoperability barriers but also can require a lot of software management.
"Without JENM, it would be very difficult to manage software-defined radios," said Spc. Samantha Myers, Combat Network Radio, or CNR, signal support systems specialist for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, or 2/1 AD, the operational unit for the NIEs. "Think of JENM like the keys to your car; you can't operate without it."
As long as the current tests are successful, the Army said, the JENM Version 3 capability for MUOS is expected to occur in the next fiscal year.