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26 July 2006: No 43/06

AFRICA ENDEAVOR-06 WORKSHOP: NATIONS FORGE A PATH TO MILITARY INTEROPERABILITY ACROSS AFRICAN CONTINENT

The flags of 24 African nations flew high over the Military Base Wonderboom on 20 July 2006 as military communicators from Africa, Europe and the United States participated in the Final Closing Ceremony of AFRICA ENDEAVOR-2006.

Senior ranking military officers and distinguished visitors from around Africa gathered to hear Brig. Gen M.S. Brazzoli, South African National Defence Force’s Acting Chief of Command and Management Information Systems Division and U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen Thomas J. Verbeck, U.S. European Command, Director, International Interoperability, Concepts and Experimentation address the 150 participants of the first information sharing and military communications systems interoperability workshop on the continent of the Africa.

“You have successfully concluded the interoperability workshop with enthusiasm and competitiveness,” Brig Gen Brazzoli said. “It’s vitally important that Africa bridges the digital divide with respect to the African Battle Space and the application of information and communication technology. The African continent will have to embrace the concepts of Network Centric Operations which Africa Endeavour plays an important role. As a continent we must work hard to do more with less to achieve the required goals to deploy quickly so we can react to peace support and other crises on our continent.”

Dubbed AFRICA ENDEAVOR 2006, the operationally focused workshop
was directed toward command, control, communications and information systems (C3IS) integration and interoperability among the 24 participating African nations. The workshop was a demonstration of true “phase zero war fighting” – a peaceful resolution that can result in the prevention of future conflicts.

Over the five day testing workshop, the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), Ft. Huachuca, AZ conducted 153 scheduled Single Channel Radio and LAN/WAN tests. The results of these validated tests will be compiled and published in a comprehensive Africa Endeavour Interoperability Guide that will be presented to the nations at the Initial Planning Conference, scheduled for October in Benin. In addition, JITC will prepare an Operational Assessment and Lessons Learned document that will serve as a springboard for future planning.

These proven interoperability communications standards and procedures will be soon implemented when several African nations deploy to do peacekeeping operations in Sudan’s Darfur region. The partnership between the African Union and Africa Endeavour was furthered during the workshop. Together, they are working toward the goal of developing a strong continental C3IS network for the African Union and its African Standby Force.

“Now we need to push the envelope further,” Brig. Gen. Verbeck told the soldiers. “The high operational tempo on the African continent requires interoperability and information sharing”

Logistical, site preparation and coordination began in earnest by the South African National Defence Force’s CMIS Operations Formation several months ago. Military Base Wonderboom underwent a series of renovations, including road improvement, painting and upgrades to welcome and accommodate the soldiers. In addition to installing communications lines and designing and implementing a wireless network for internal communications, 2 Signal Regiment provided the X.21 bearer backbone as a platform for the LAN/WAN testing that workshop participants conducted.

“The work you have accomplished here is without a doubt, one of the most effective interoperability efforts in the world,” Verbeck said.” “For you standing on this parade field need to know that the work that you have accomplished throughout this workshop has a global impact – simply because of today’s operational environment. Interoperability can no longer be an afterthought.”

As the workshop concluded, EUCOM announced future planning conferences leading up to Africa Endeavour 2007, to be hosted again by the South African National Defence Force. Three planning conferences will be hosted by Benin, Cape Verde and Ghana later this year and early next year.

The U.S. European Command headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, sponsored Africa Endeavor 2006.

Telephone: 012-567-2174 or 0828295755
Enquiries: Capt Chris Miller (USNR) or Lt Col Hettie Cronje