PDM P2E Team Completes Gray Cyber Center Project, Wiesbaden, Germany

The Product Manager, Power Projection Enablers (PdM P2E) team completed the Gray Cyber Center project in Wiesbaden, Germany on October 30, 2014. PdM P2E worked extensively with the 5th Signal Command in the development and implementation of the information technology (IT) infrastructure portion of this 52,000 square foot facility named in honor of the late Lt. Gen. Robert E. Gray, a former United States (US) Army Signal Officer.

German and American officials broke ground for the Gray Cyber Center in June 2012 with 5th Signal Command slated to oversee the entire project, including the IT infrastructure portion. Approximately one year into the project, 5th Signal Command realized the magnitude of the effort and engaged PdM P2E to manage the $6.16 million IT infrastructure project to engineer, furnish, install, secure, and test (EFIS&T) a Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) system for the Cyber Center.

The resulting facility, located at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany, consolidates tactical, theater and strategic communications functions in support of U.S. European Command (EUCOM), U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). This complex facility system now manages all services networks to greatly enhance cyberwatch oversight complexities from the Stuttgart-based European Command and serves as the network and communications provider for over 40,000 users in Europe.

This state-of-the art building encompasses the latest in modern technology and is expected to significantly expand its scope of activity in the coming years.

Regardless of the short timeline from the January 29, 2014 contract award date through the projected completion date of October 30, 2014, the serious threat to the building occupancy date (BOD) that could have cost the Army millions of dollars, and numerous other obstacles that were beyond P2E’s control, the team remained aggressive and developed a course of action that allowed the team to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) on August 21, 2014.

The completed project includes:

• Support for over 350 users with Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router (NIPR), Secure Internet Protocol Router (SIPR), Battlefield Information, Collection, & Exploitation System (BICES), Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS)-ISAF (CX-I) and Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS) Networks
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Capability for over 350 users
• Digital Media Suite with: Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), Video Teleconference (VTC) central bridge and Audio/Visual room digital matrix switching capabilities
• Theater Combined Operations Information Center (TCOIC) video wall, two large VTC rooms, 1 Medium VTC,1 Small VTC and 10 SIPR Telepresence units

PdM P2E has enabled 5th Signal Command the ability to shield its computer networks throughout Europe and parts of the Middle East and strengthen theater strategic and tactical communications gathering sustaining future missions of EUCOM, AFRICOM and USAREUR. This newly constructed building represents the latest technology, which is expected to significantly expand its networking capacity of activity in the upcoming years.

Mr. Albert Adams, PdM P2E Integrated Project Lead, successfully managed this project with supporting leadership from Mr. Michael Moseley and Mr. Tom Dunaway (PdM P2E Europe Directors), and LTC (P) Mollie Pearson, the Product Manager for PdM P2E. The 5th Signal Command is extremely satisfied with the facility and they are already using it to support Soldiers across the world!