The General Dynamics-built Warfighter Information Network - Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2 is now in the hands of soldiers with the U.S. Army's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

The soldiers are training for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan as part of the U.S. military's Security Forces Advise and Assist Team. Once deployed, the soldiers will rely on WIN-T as their on-the-move network, enabling mission command and delivering vital situational awareness that soldiers need during a mission.

Describing the WIN-T system, Lt. Col. Alan Boyer, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, recently said, "I think it will save people's lives in combat. I think it will help us save our partners' lives."

In December 2012, the Army ordered 136 additional WIN-T Increment 2 network nodes. The order will bring the number of WIN-T Increment 2 network nodes to 532, extending the reach of the Army's soldier network to the company level.

Sandra Wheeler, vice president of Tactical Networks for General Dynamics C4 Systems, said, "WIN-T Increment 2 is the secure communications backbone for soldiers and commanders at the company level to connect with each other, access mission-critical situational awareness and stay connected while on the move.

The network also enables company commanders to communicate with higher headquarters in their vehicle, receiving their orders in real-time, which is a game-changing capability."

The Army's Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) AN/PRC-154 Rifleman and two-channel AN/PRC-154 Manpack radios connect with WIN-T to form secure on-the-go networks, connecting soldiers at the squad level to commanders in their vehicles and up to the highest levels of command.

Similar to the ease of a soldier using their smartphone to connect to the commercial Internet, soldiers use the PRC-154 Rifleman radios to connect to the soldiers' network.

Thoroughly tested by the Army, these radios are part of the Army's Capability Set 13, the first fully integrated suite of network components that are being distributed to parts of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., and the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Led by General Dynamics, the WIN-T network, HMS radio and other Army networking programs rely on support from a diverse group of suppliers. These companies deliver vital technologies and products that support the Army's highest priority, the network.

Located in more than 30 states, these suppliers include small, veteran-owned, woman-owned and other businesses and represent more than 4,800 skilled workers. These suppliers and the employment they represent support local economies and are an essential component to job creation.

Suppliers supporting the Army's networking priorities include: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Md. and Colo.); Thales Communications, Inc. (Md.); Mair Mac Machine Company, Inc. (Mass.); Harris Corporation (Fla.); ACE Electronic Defense Systems (Md); Ritronics, Inc. (Conn.); BAE Systems and Aerospace (N.J.); Newcomb Metal Products (Mass.); Arizona Components Company (Ariz.); L3 Communications (Fla. and Calif.); Wroble Engineering Company (Mass.); The Will-Burt Company (Ohio); Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Iowa); VTron Electronics Corp (Mass.); and Hunter Defense Technologies (Ohio).