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First U.S. NavyInstallationof DMS AfloatBy SPAWAR PMW 162-2, Tactical Organizational Messagingfor Program Executive Office C4I and SpaceIn a huge step toward implementing a common messagingsolution for warfighters afloat and ashore, the Naval ModularAutomated Communication Systems (NAVMACS II)/SingleMessaging Solution (SMS) Phase II was installed on the USSBelleau Wood (LHA-3) and underwent initial fleet evaluationduring October 2003 sea trials. Installation of this tacticalcommand and control system also marks a big step towardrealizing the Chief of Naval Operations FORCEnet vision of fullinteroperability between the Navy and Marine Corps — andthe rest of the Department of Defense (DoD).At the same time, it brings Navy one step closer to the DoDvision of a Global Information Grid that links the Navy to U.S.government agencies such as the Department of HomelandSecurity, the Defense Logistics Agency, the National Imagingand Mapping Agency and the National Security Agency.SMS II, also called “DMS Afloat,” brings with it the first implementationof the Defense Message System (DMS) in an afloattactical environment. DMS provides the battle planners on aCombined Joint Task Force (CJTF) staff with a flexible, COTSbased,network-centric, application layer system that bridgescommunication networks and also provides interoperabilitywith other U.S. and allied forces. Trials with this state-of-the-artadvance in communication on an operational Navy ship willprovide essential metrics toward increasing communicationperformance for end-to-end, secure and interoperable organizationalmessaging.Capable of delivering data messages with the future enhancementsof voice and video attachments, DMS Afloat providesbetter-protected, faster communications at a measured lowerInternet Protocol (IP) overhead than comparable SMTP e-mail.It also provides the capability to interlink existing legacysystems and future DMS architectures. The goal of DMS Afloatis to provide a single point of receipt and transmission for allorganizational message traffic. Existing communicationsarchitecture reflects legacy, serial protocol tactical communicationmessage processing system technologies (hardware andsoftware) that are, in some cases, over 30 years old. Theselegacy systems are candidates for planned phase-out, upgradeor replacement using an evolutionary acquisition process as wegradually migrate towards DMS.“The USS Belleau Wood has a distinguished history of service tothe nation and now has the distinction of being the inauguralDMS Afloat ship. I applaud the Navy’s success in this initialshipboard implementation, which expands the messagingenvelop to the Navy tactical environment. DMS is now theAbove: IT2(SW) Dawn L. Lee, USN and IT3 Daniel W. Schneider,USN, operating the NAVMACS II/SMS Phase II system onboard theUSS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) in October 2003.system of record for official Department of Defense messagecommunications. This event signifies the Navy’s commitmentto transforming their C2 messaging capability throughout thefleet,” said Mr. Verlin Hardin, Defense Information SystemsAgency, Defense Message System Program Manager, Washington,D.C.“DMS Afloat delivers on the fleet requirement for a common,robust, high assurance, organizational messaging solution thatsupports Navy warfighters and embarked forces from allServices. It is an enabler that allows the Navy to plug into DoD’semerging Global Information Grid while providing a state-ofthe-art,IP-based organizational messaging capability to thefleet,” said Captain Bill Bry, USN, PEO (C4I-Space) PMW 166,Organizational Messaging Program Manager, San Diego, Calif.As a military communications processor, SMS provides messageservices to afloat tactical warfighters along with command,control and communication functionalities. It provides a universalmessaging process, open-architecture environment and state-ofthe-arttechnology that reduces operator training, technicalsupport, maintenance and overall life cycle system costs.SMS provides capabilities via high-speed global messagingutilizing IP networks to connect the afloat tactical user withship-to-shore and inter/intra (ship-to-ship) battle groupoperational messaging. SMS also supports the existing legacycircuits that are being phased out as all military message traffictransitions to the single transport layer known as the DefenseInformation System Network (DISN). During this transitionperiod, SMS Phases I and II will connect the various types oforganizational message traffic via legacy channels and emergingIP messaging technologies, while migrating to DMS.The SMS program was structured as an evolutionary acquisitionprocess with phased development that has a scalable systemdesign. As such, the main configuration differences betweenSMS and the different variants are in the number of extraworkstations provided and other specific DMS architecture26 CHIPS Dedicated to Sharing Information*Technology*Experience