[iwar] [fc:IDF.may.be.forced.to.`reboot'.its.information.revolution]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-08-06 20:34:57
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 Ha'aretzTuesday, August 06, 2002 Av 28, 5762Israel Time:  13:37  (GMT+3)

IDF may be forced to `reboot' its information revolution

By Amnon Barzilai

Barely a few months after the launch of a prestigious IDF technology
project in the Ground Forces Command (GFC) to use the information
revolution to "digitalize the ground forces," the project is under
investigation with charges that tens of millions of shekels have been
wasted. 

The project is an ambitious, costly GFC plan to establish an overall
command and control (CAC) system for all the ground forces in the
battlefield of the future.  It is meant to provide a real-time picture
of the battle to all levels of the army, from the individual soldier in
the field, up the chain of command to corps commanders and command
generals.  The overall mission of the project, which is expected to take
15 years to deploy and cost NIS 1.5 billion, is to integrate all the CAC
systems of the ground forces and link them to the General Staff's
overall CAC system in the army's headquarters at the Kirya. 

But even before the project got fully under way, the General Staff was
bombarded with complaints about failures, and a loss of command and
control in the project.  All the blame is falling on the GFC.  One
weighty charge is that the GFC itself has yet to formulate an overall
concept for the project. 

The GFC's commanders, which includes the armored corps, the infantry,
artillery and engineering, are inexperienced at managing very large
projects.  And the digitalization of the GFC's command and control
system is an enormous project, requiring the experience of a major
general who has commanded corps, regional commands and has the kind of
broad view, including diplomatic know-how, that is derived from being a
member of the general staff. 

Therefore much of the criticism is directed at Maj.  Gen.  Yiftah Ron
Tal, commander of the GFC, who until his promotion to head the GFC had
served as a division commander and as head of the GFC staff.  This is
his first command as a major general and his critics say it is beyond
his capabilities. 

Two weeks ago, Deputy Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi took the unusual
step of appointing an investigating officer for the project.  Complaints
about the project arose already in the beginning of the year.  Elron
Telesoft was hired as a contractor, two buildings were built, 50-60
software people from the civilian market and the army were taken on for
the project. 

Complaints then were focused on a lack of coordination between the GFC
demands for the program and what the Communications Corps was capable of
turning into reality.  Already then, assistant head of strategic
planning, Yitzhak Harel, proposed an outside investigation, but because
of the change of personnel in the chief of staff's office, the proposal
was shelved.  Harel meanwhile has been promoted to major general and
appointed head of the northern corps.  He was replaced by naval officer
Brigadier General Ophir Shoham, a physicist and expert on military
technologies, who confirmed Harel's findings, but recommended that an
internal investigation take place.  Ashkenazi gave the job to a
lieutenant colonel, also from the navy, with expertise in technology. 
The reason for choosing a navy man: the navy has nothing to do with the
project. 


Beneath the surface, two other battles are taking place.  One is between
GFC and the various technology units of the Technology and Logistics
Department and the Communications Corps, over authority.  The question
is who will really control the project - and get control of the huge
budgets involved. 

The other battle is between the companies chosen for the project and the
Israel Aircrafts Industries, which has so far been shut out of the
project.  In June, the Defense Ministry decided to give Elbit Systems
and not IAI the main contractor's role in the project.  That decision
was made without a tender.  Elbit brought in Rafael and Tadiran Systems. 
Companies like the IAI, Tadiran Communications and Ness Technologies
were angry at being shut out of what is considered the most prestigious
technology project undertaken by the IDF in the last 15 years. 

The investigation into the GFC's management of the project now raises
doubts about the GFC vision for the digitalization of the ground forces,
precisely because of the GFC's position in the army.  The issue was
identified during a discussion in the deputy chief of staff's office. 
The GFC wants to establish a complete CAC system for the army, but in
effect, the commander of the ground forces is the chief of staff, not
the head of the GFC. 

Therefore, as long as the general staff has not integrated its command
of the forces, it will be impossible to fulfill the digital revolution
of the ground forces. 

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