Photo by Sgt. Aaron Harris
A mechanic assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division performs aircraft maintenance on one of the unit’s helicopters during a recent Global Combat Support System-Army software test training on Hunter Army Airfield. GCSS-Army software tracks information when ordering, shipping, and receiving parts for aircrafts.
Aviators test new global combat maintenance, logistics tool
Marne Air aviators recently had the opportunity to test a new system that is focused on improving enterprise readiness through modernizing Aviation maintenance and logistics functions.
“We are getting a look at how the Soldiers actually use the Global Combat Support System-Army system, which is as operationally realistic as it gets,” said Maj. Andrew J. Johnson, a test officer with the Mission Command Test Directorate of the Fort Hood, Texas-based U.S. Army Operational Test Command.
The new Enterprise Aviation builds on existing GCSS-A logistics capabilities to add Aviation maintenance and logistics Army’s fixed wing, rotary wing, and unmanned aerials systems.
EAVN was developed to provide better situational awareness to support senior leader decision making to better use Army Aviation assets around the world.
“Testing this tool is important because this affects over 51,000 Aviation users across the Army,” said Johnson. “The Army needs to see whether this tool provides situational awareness and visibility of aircraft parts and components.”
Troops with 2nd Battalion, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division are supporting the operational test.
“The ‘go live’ nature of the test helps OTC capture honest feedback to help Army leaders make informed fielding decisions,” Johnson said of the troops.
Spc. Clete O. Davis, Army Aviation Tech Supply user with the 3rd CAB, said it is beneficial that the Army is considering his feedback by testing the system the way it will be used.
“The testing was realistic because I’m able to fully create an inventory that can be tracked within the actual system,” he said.
Mission partners backing the test included representatives from the Army Futures Command, Aviation Enablers-Requirements Determination Division, Army Evaluation Center, Aviation Center of Excellence, Combined Arms Support Command, Combat Capabilities Development Command, Electronic Proving Ground, and Product Director GCSS-Army.