I3MP Completes SOUTHCOM Tech Refresh

The Installation Information Infrastructure Modernization Program (I3MP) completed a Strategic Command Center (SCC) technology refresh for the U.S. Southern Command headquarters, located in Miami, Florida.

The U. S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM, is one of nine unified Combatant Commands in the Department of Defense. SOUTHCOM is a joint command responsible for security operations, cooperation and contingency planning for Central and South America (SCC).

Conventionally known as a joint command center, the SCC increases commander flexibility by providing a suite of sustained and standardized technical capabilities. The SCC technology refresh, referred to as a tech refresh, is a system level approach to managing the upgrade of information technology solutions employed by the Warfighter. I3MP served as the program management office, overseeing the customized SOUTHCOM SCC tech refresh.

Brendan Burke, acting deputy program executive officer for the Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS), says, "The SOUTHCOM tech refresh supports Army Readiness by delivering tailored IT solutions that strengthen the cooperation of the U.S. Army with joint and multinational mission partners during SOUTHCOM security operations." I3MP is part of the Project Manager Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (DCATS) within the PEO EIS portfolio. Within I3MP, the SCC modernization is managed by Toni Freeland, product officer for command center modernizations.

Freeland and her team enable the Joint Warfighter and Mission Command Centers with emerging information technology and secure infrastructure systems, through lifecycle management, supporting Army Enterprise and Joint networks.

Freeland says, “Strategic command center modernization is more than updating outdated equipment. These modernizations are critical to security operations that enable SOUTHCOM to fight transregional threats."

Sarah Mullins, deputy product officer for command center modernizations, managed the complete SOUTHCOM tech refresh from the start with the aid of Richard Baker, the project team assist. Through multiple leadership changes and funding shortfalls, Mullins managed the design, engineering, installation, test, and delivery of an information infrastructure system, tailored specifically for SOUTHCOM.

For her part, Mullins says, “It takes a network to defeat a network. I3MP has upgraded the SOUTHCOM headquarters’ mission-critical IT network to enable the SOUTHCOM Warfighters to be the partner of choice in fighting transnational threat networks in Central and South America."

The SOUTHCOM SCC tech refresh provides the required IT solutions to support the Department of Defense's Global Command & Control System – Joint., which provides the communications, computing and data infrastructure that integrates accurate combat support information into a common presentation of data available to the warfighter from a single computer using the Common Operational Picture - Combat Support Environment.

The delivery of this remarkable network was made possible by the strong support of I3MP's project partners: the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters, the U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command, Army Contracting Command – Rock Island, and LGS Innovations. By incorporating best-in-class commercial and custom technologies, this team provided the strong leadership and technical expertise needed to avoid disruption of SOUTHCOM security operations during this tech refresh.