Marine Corps Systems Command is in the process of fielding a modernised version of an intelligence system that provides critical information to commanders on the battlefield. The Distributed Common Ground/Surface System-Marine Corps (DCGS-MC) is a mobile, secure and integrated intelligence system that Marines can leverage to inform commanders about threats and other information on the battlefield.
This new version of DCGS-MC comprises updated computer hardware and software connected to the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. The system includes sensors to collect data, antennas to receive information, and workstations for analysts to review info and produce reports.
The modernised technology also includes a geographic intelligence capability that collects satellite imagery and intelligence information. This enables Marines to create maps and other intelligence products to inform the commander’s decision. The new DCGS-MC capability is a modern approach for the Marine Corps to perform intelligence tasks. This system will ultimately make Marines’ jobs easier.
The first improvement involves decreasing weight to increase the overall efficiency of the system. The system was designed to provide a flexible hardware and software solution to decrease size and power requirements while increasing the capability of Marine intelligence analysts. The legacy system required multiple hardware, including up to four servers. The newer DCGS-MC decreases the amount of hardware needed for use, reducing the technology’s size, weight and modularity.
DCGS-MC aims to lighten the load of Marines and modernise the Marine Corps. Instead of having separate servers for individual programs, you can combine several different servers into one. This system provides additional flexibility to support tactical operations as they support Marine operations. It also provides a much more modern toolset. The system also enables increased battlefield mobility. Marine Corps emphasised the importance of employing mobile, operationally relevant and relatively easy-to-sustain capabilities.
The newer capability also enables users to migrate data to the cloud. He explained that units can leverage the cloud capability to perform various tasks even when disconnected from the enterprise network. As they move forward from a technology perspective, cloud migration capabilities become increasingly important. Cloud technology allows the information to freely flow in between the tactical user all the way up to the intelligence community.
MCSC also ensures that DCGS-MC is interoperable, allowing Marines to exchange critical information with other services, including the Army, Air Force and Navy. Interoperability fosters collaboration and increased communication among the joint forces.
Traditionally, Marine Corps once employed “runners” who collected intelligence information on the battlefield to inform commanders. The modernised DCGS-MC provides this data through electronic means. DCGS-MC brings the information back to the commander to make an informed decision while also disseminating it throughout the forces so that lower-level commanders can also make decisions. It allows for all levels of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to access critical information, which benefits the entire Marine Corps.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, over the past few years, MCSC has begun acquiring new, cutting-edge communication technology to support future battlefield objectives, particularly those that may affect the Indo-Pacific battlespace. Due to future naval warfare that will require increased mobility and active communication to circumvent difficult situations, improving battlefield communication is a major aspect of the Marine Corps’ modernisation efforts to meet this future fight.
To support this goal, the Marine Corps has invested in capabilities that improve communication and increase situational awareness. They ensure that Marines’ communication and navigation systems can continue to operate in a denied, degraded and low-bandwidth electromagnetic environment.
MCSC is delivering modern capabilities designed to communicate data, support critical decision-making and enable action. The purpose is to deliver the information to Marines in a usable way that makes sense, so they can make decisions that render desired outcomes in communications-disadvantaged environments. Their goal is to make sure the Marines are never in a fair fight and they hope that these investments will give Marines that competitive advantage.
