Fort Monmouth telecommunicetions infrastructure upgrade starts - Of Interest

FORT MONMOUTH, N.J. -- The first shovelful of dirt was turned here Oct. 7, 2002, in a $5 million project to expand and upgrade the fort's telecommunications infrastructure under the Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program.

The project, being managed by the Fort Monmouth-based project manager for Defense Communications and Army Switched Systems, will provide a new telecommunications infrastructure backbone, including creating a new fiberoptic cable ring throughout the installation; reinforcing parts in the existing network backbone; installing 90,000 feet of fiberoptic and copper cable; and building 60 new manholes.

"I think the most important benefits are that the new infrastructure will support future requirements for voice and data connectivity," said Heather Vimba, project leader for PM DCASS, "and make life easier for the people who operate and maintain the network." She added that by providing transmission connectivity from the user to the dial central office/main communications node, the 13MP infrastructure allows warfighting commanders deployed in split-base operations to tap into command-and-control and sustaining-base information systems back in the United States--an important consideration as world events heat up.

13MP is an initiative of the Army's chief information officer/G6 to upgrade the information infrastructure at Army posts, camps and stations with global Defense Communications Systems, Army nontactical secure/nonsecure C2 base information voice systems, data switching systems and associated networks. PM DCASS--part of the Fort Belvoir, Va.-based program executive office for Enterprise Information Systems--as to date implemented 13MP at 70 Army posts, camps and stations around the world.

Mr. Larsen serves as the public-affairs officer for the program executive officer for Executive Information Systems at Fort Monmouth.

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