Military

Battle Command and Sustainment Support System (BCS3)
(Formerly Combat Service Support Control System (CSSCS))

The BCS3 supports the warfighting C2 and battle management process by rapidly processing large volumes of logistical, personnel and medical information. The BCS3 will facilitate quicker, more accurate decision making by providing a more effective means for force-level commanders and CSS commanders to determine the sustainability and supportability of current and planned operations. Qualitative improvements attributed to the BCS3 will be measured by positive assessment by a substantial majority of commanders and their staffs.

The BCS3 will collect and process selected CSS data in a seamless manner from CSS Standard Army Management Information Systems (STAMIS) and manual systems/processes, and other related source data and hierarchical automated C2 systems, e.g., Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) and the Global Command and Control System-Army (GCCS-A). Based on these inputs, the BCS3 will generate and disseminate near real time CSS C2 reports, responses to CSS related ad hoc queries, update the database an average of every three hours, and provide CSS battlefield functional area (BFA) information in support of the Army Battle Command System (ABCS) common picture of the battlefield. The latter capability represents the essence of ABCS and serves to insure that all force level commanders and staffs see and understand the battlespace and gain dominant situational awareness on the battlefield by sharing the pertinent data of that common picture. This functional capability will be facilitated by ABCS BFA interoperability, use of ABCS common hardware/software (CHS), client/server architecture, and unique BCS3 software modules. Within ABCS, the BCS3 is the capstone C2 decision support system (DSS) for all command and staff matters associated with CSS operations and/or projections. Since we train in peace as we will fight in war, the BCS3 will provide commanders with a DSS tool for everyday use in support of their CSS mission and C2 requirements. Further, the force level information (FLI) feature of BCS3 also provides the commander with a capability to exercise C2 over their subordinate units and/or operations. FLI is defined as a level of BFA proponent information for which an ABCS user has access to and input responsibilities for, i.e., corps, division and brigade. The common picture of the battlefield is a ABCS universal product based on the selected sharing BFA proponent FLI amongst and common to the other ABCS BFA. ABCS common picture products include situational maps (terrain, disposition of friendly and enemy forces, etc.), battle resource reports, and other intelligence products.

The ABCS common picture is the mainstay for the synchronization of leadership situational awareness. Access to Army FLI and the common picture displays support the effective assessment and integration of the battlefield operating systems, i.e., maneuver, fire support, mobility/countermobility, C2, intelligence, electronic warfare, air defense, and sustainment. This mutual ABCS capability will be expanded in Block III, BCS3 Version 5, to accommodate joint, allied and host nation information exchanges.

The BCS3 will be employed at the battalion, brigade, division, corps, separate brigade, armored cavalry regiment (ACR), non-divisional brigade, group and regiment and echelons above corps (EAC). The BCS3 will interface with the other ABCS BFA, higher and lower C2 systems (e.g., GCCS-A and FBCB2), and Management Informational Systems for personnel, medical, supply, services, and transportation at all echelons.

The BCS3 prototype has been in certification testing from April 2004 through June 2004 at Ft. Hood, TX.

Requirements

BCS3 integrates situational awareness of key CSS mission areas:

	(1)Arming the force
	(2)Fueling the force
	(3)Manning the force
	(4)Fixing the force
	(5)Moving the force

How BCS3 Works

The system displays a three-dimensional picture using topographic details selected by the user from a menu of audible mapping features. BCS3 provides the logistics portion of the Common Operating Picture (COP) on MCS and provides the maneuver sustainment commander with enhanced briefings and data-management capabilities. The current logistical data is augmented with analytical and decision support tools that enable the commander to make well-informed decisions rapidly and effectively.

Responding to the need for integrating the supply chain and modernizing theater distribution, BCS3 can provide commanders current and future combat power estimates in what is called the Running Estimate. Its ability to fuse data from Satellites, Radio Frequency Identification tags, Interrogators, and Transponders enables BCS3 to track and display the locations of vehicles and cargo as they move within an area of operations. BCS3 will obtain data/files from Maneuver Control System (MCS) to incorporate the operational data with the logistics data to provide commanders with the most comprehensive and robust view of today's battle spaces. BCS3 displays the worldview of U.S. tactical units that are providing electronic feeds to the system. The display provides an aggregated view of icons representing unit locations pulled from the Blue Force Tracking at FBCB2.