United States Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center

Communications-Electronics RD&E Center
Active
Country	United States
Branch	U.S. Army
Type	Research and Development
Garrison/HQ	Fort Monmouth, New Jersey
Motto	Technology driven. Warfighter focused.
Commanders
Director	Jill H. Smith
Deputy Director	Robert Zanzalari

The Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (or CERDEC) is the United States Army information technologies and integrated systems center. Since Fort Monmouth is on the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list, all CERDEC activities are transferring to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland by the end of 2011. ^[1][2].

As one of the 10 organizations that make up the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, a subordinate organization of the Army Materiel Command, CERDEC is the leading supplier of advanced Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities, technologies and integrated solutions for the Warfighter.

“CERDEC science and technology (S&T) programs literally touch every Army platform and many DoD platforms in our nation’s defense,” - former director, Gary W. Blohm.

Mission & Vision

To develop and integrate Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) technologies that enable information dominance and decisive lethality for the networked Warfighter.

To employ the imagination and innovation of this nation’s brightest professionals to provide America’s brave sons and daughters with the most effective solutions to ensure mission success and their safe return home.

Core Competencies

To demonstrate its core competencies, CERDEC’s six directorates and Product Manager (PM) align with the mission and vision statement to continue supporting efforts to integrate C4ISR technologies in order to provide systems-of-systems solutions to the Warfighter.

Core Competency #1: Integrated C4ISR Solutions- C4ISR is the ability to direct, coordinate and control the assets necessary for accomplishing the mission and reporting battlefield situations and activities. By integrating C4ISR solutions across a wide range of platforms CERDEC enhances the application of combined arms and joint combat power.

As the leading supplier of advanced C4ISR capabilities, technologies and integrated solutions for the Warfighter, CERDEC develops new technologies as well as adopts and adapts technologies from other Army R&D centers and laboratories, Department of Defense partners, government and national laboratories, academia and industry. Additionally, CERDEC provides solutions to other system developers (for platform integration).

Core Competency #2: Systems Engineering- Today’s network-centric environment requires a comprehensive understanding of the interaction and dependency of all individual systems on the battlefield. CERDEC’s Systems Engineering capabilities leverage technologies, systems, modeling and simulation, testing, human resources and facilities to transition a stated capability into an operationally effective and suitable system which meets the needs of CERDEC customers.

CERDEC utilizes Modeling and Simulation (M&S) capabilities to provide the Army and Joint Forces, system of systems assessments of C4ISR technologies and concepts. CERDEC's product manager for C4ISR On-the-Move assesses the effectiveness of inserting new technologies into an operationally relevant environment. CERDEC collaborates with Army, DoD and other stakeholders to provide C4ISR models, simulated architectures and automated tools in support of requirement definition, design and engineering, manufacturing, and test and evaluation.

Directorates

CERDEC is subdivided into several directorates, each focusing on an area or discipline:

• Command and Control Directorate (C2D or C²D)

C2D enables the quick transition of optimum capabilities to the Warfighter in support of ongoing operations. C2D’s competitive advantage comes from the development, acquisition, management and application of unique and superior technological expertise in these core competencies: information and knowledge management; portable and mobile power; platform integration and prototyping; environmental control systems; and position and navigation.

• Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD or I²WD)

I2WD provides effective intelligence and information warfare tools that equip America's Warfighter with the superior integrated systems needed to ensure information dominance, and focuses on quick-reaction capabilities, which consist of transitioning state-of-the-art technologies into systems for rapid fielding. The core capability areas include radar/combat identification; electronic warfare air/ground survivability equipment; information and network operations; signals intelligence (SIGINT); modeling and simulation; information fusion; measurement and signatures intelligence (MASINT); electronic warfare countermeasures; and intelligence dissemination. Additionally, I2WD provides engineering and management support to PEOs throughout the lifecycle of these systems.

• Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD)

NVESD employs world class expertise in electro-optical electronic sensors, including thermal imagers, image intensifiers and lasers, to equip the Warfighter with imaging devices that improve surveillance and targeting, safety, and lethality while providing a broad range of increased capabilities for Soldiers, Ground/Airborne electro optics/infrared, force protection, and IED/mine and minefield detection.

• Product Realization Directorate (PRD)

PRD provides expertise in the areas of production engineering; manufacturing technology; maintenance concept engineering; quality assurance and continuous improvement; special manufacturing and quality assessment; reliability and risk assessment; industrial base technical advocacy and management; configuration management; technical data; specifications and standardization program management; technical project leadership; and technology acquisition planning and preparation for the Army communications-electronics community of practice. PRD utilizes its competencies to influence design and system support during all phases of the product lifecycle, leveraging and contributing its expertise to assist in program synchronization, availability, improvement, fielding, delivery and sustainment of technology for the Warfighter.

• Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate (S&TCD)

S&TCD provides the Warfighter with adaptive, reliable and seamless battlefield communications with full electronic counter-countermeasure capabilities and information security (INFOSEC). S&TCD performs research, development and engineering functions in all aspects of terrestrial, avionics and space-dependent communications technology. By harnessing the potential of communications systems technology, S&TCD is able to meet near-term needs of our Warfighters, as well as prepare for the needs of the 21st Century Force.

• Software Engineering Directorate (SED)

SED provides software acquisition support and software engineering support to Army tactical systems throughout the systems' lifecycles, including concept and development, systems development and demonstration, production and deployment, and operations and maintenance. SED conceptualizes, develops and supports the fielding and sustaining of systems and software products, services and technologies that enhance Army, Joint and Coalition Force’s war fighting capabilities. SED helps ensure America’s Warfighters and Allies are equipped to defend the homeland and own the decisive edge throughout the battlespace.

• Product Manager C4ISR On-The-Move (PM C4ISR OTM)

PM C4ISR OTM is an Army capital investment that provides a “test/assess-analyze-fix” environment that evaluates technical applications and maturity for emerging networking, sensors and C4ISR-enabling platforms on a year-round basis; this is done to demonstrate the impact of integrating these capabilities in a system-of-systems environment. Activities conducted at PM C4ISR OTM's laboratories or field sites are constructed as opportunities to expose systems to conditions not ordinarily available within their development environments. PM C4ISR OTM’s integrated capabilities events inform the Army and joint communities on the capabilities of emerging technology in order to keep pace with rapid change in the operating environment. With the Army transitioning to a brigade modernization approach, PM C4ISR OTM provides the Army with a relevant environment to reduce and mitigate risks, to address high-priority S&T shortfalls and to accelerate capabilities to enhance the current force.

CERDEC's Future

With the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) move from Fort Monmouth to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. CERDEC will capitalize on synergies created by the alignment of member organizations across Team C4ISR. By restructuring along domain areas CERDEC aims to better synchronize with its immediate PEO and LCMC partners.

Internally, CERDEC is taking advantage of resources provided by the Web 2.0 environment, to expand its reach across the Department of Defense through knowledge sharing tools. Its membership as a leading member of the C4ISR Knowledge Management Consortium has enabled the use of internal Army wikis, blogs and networking sites to execute its mission more efficiently and to expand its collaboration. The use of Web 2.0 tools is providing subject matter experts greater access to work by their peers and more immediate reach and responsiveness to needs within CERDEC’s core competencies.

CERDEC Developed Systems and Projects

Tactical Reconnaissance and Counter Concealment Enabled Radar - TRACER

TRACER is a mid-range, long wavelength synthetic aperture radar system that provides all-weather persistent surveillance.^[3]

External links

• CERDEC Public Site
• Fort Monmouth Home Page
• Aberdeen Proving Ground Home Page
• CERDEC Twitter Page
• CERDEC Facebook Page
• Army Technology Live Blog
• U.S. Army Jobs

References

1. ^ http://www.brac.gov/docs/AppendixCFinalUpdated.pdf
2. ^ http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/NEWS/706170457/1004/NEWS03
3. ^ Kushiyama, Kristen. "High-Tech Radar Cuts Through The “Foliage”." CERDEC U.S.ARMY RDECOM. United States Army, 7 June 2010. Web. 18 June 2010. <http://www.cerdec.army.mil/news/hightechradar.asp>.