JASPREET GILL
WASHINGTON — The Army office responsible for modernizing its networks and fielding communications gear has a new boss, who will spearhead development of advanced battlefield technologies for warfighters, the service announced.
The Army on June 29 announced Mark Kitz as the new program executive officer for command, control, communications-tactical (PEO C3T). Kitz most recently served as the PEO for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors (IEW&S), the service’s main hub for developing and integrating “sensors and sensor data across multiple technologies ensuring warfighters have a complete understanding of the battlefield,” according to the office’s website.
“As the new PEO C3T, Kitz will guide a workforce of more than 1,600 personnel who acquire, field and support the communications networks, radios, satellite systems and other hardware and software Soldiers require for information dominance on the battlefield,” according to an Army press release. “With the Army’s PEO optimization established to support the Unified Network strategy, Kitz will lead the integration of integrated enterprise network programs into PEO C3T.”
Kitz succeeds Maj. Gen. Anthony Potts, who led the office since June last year. Under his leadership, “PEO C3T has delivered more than 400 Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard formations with modernized network and mission command application technology, including deliveries to seven infantry brigade combat teams and one Stryker regiment squadron, and the for the first time to division headquarters and enabling formations,” the service said.
A major effort under PEO C3T was developing and fielding “capability sets,” or brigade-sized packages of upgraded hardware and software, every two years. So far, the service has rolled out Capability Set 21 and fielded 23.
Recently, however, the Army decided to nix that concept as it works on sets 25 and 27 in favor of fielding communications gear more frequently than every two years. During a demonstration of the service’s technologies in May, Potts told reporters the service was studying new ways of contracting and structuring acquisitions in order to facilitate the quicker updates.
Doug Bush, the Army’s acquisition executive, said Kitz’s “top-level knowledge in acquisition and extent of experience in the community will ensure he continues this PEO’s strong tradition of doing great things for the Army.”
Meanwhile, PEO C3T and Kitz’s old office, along with PEO enterprise information systems, will formally realign at the start of the next fiscal year in an effort to further the Army’s digital transformation strategy. PEO IEW&S will take over all cyber operations from the three offices and PEO C3T will take all network-related efforts.
During an Army Technical Exchange Meeting in May, Kitz said the reorganization aligned with how lawmakers want the military to move forward with cyber operations.
“However, I do want to highlight that in the last two [National Defense Authorization Acts], with Cyber Command there has been a focus on integrating the Joint Cyber Warfighting architecture and establishing that Cyber Command acquisition authority around the integration of cyber and functional components,” he said. “And as many of you know, the Army is a significant contributor on the offensive side to that Joint Cyber Warfighting architecture.”
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