(U) The purpose of the Army Tactical Exploitation Of National Capabilities (TENCAP) Program is to exploit the current and future tactical potential of national space systems and to integrate these capabilities into the Army's tactical decision-making process as rapidly as possible. The TENCAP program provides the commander immediate access to national assets and the information they provide. Without a TENCAP asset, the commander has to be force-fed national-level intelligence from above. With a TENCAP asset, the commander is able to pull the data he requires, when he needs it. The bottom line of the program is to make the information from the national assets readily available to the commander.
(U) The TENCAP systems allow the commander to plan contingency operations in otherwise denied areas. They also support deep and rear operations by providing the ability to see deep, providing targeting, terrain ingress and egress information, and improving command and control (C2). All TENCAP systems are capable of robust communications via the TROJAN Special Purpose Integrated Remote Intelligence Terminal (SPIRIT), Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE), satellite communications (SATCOMs), and the Automated Digital Information Network (AUTODIN). All TENCAP systems act as preprocessors for the All-Source Analysis System (ASAS). These systems use the TENCAP Communication System Processor (CSP) for communicating with the ASAS. As today's TENCAP systems migrate into the Tactical Exploitation System (TES), preprocessing for and interoperability with the ASAS is a key requirement. This requirement extends to the creation of a seamless environment between the TES and the ASAS in which intelligence products, files, and databases can be pushed or pulled between the two systems. This interactive environment should greatly reduce the time required for acquisition of a target by a sensor. Army TENCAP provides support to the division, armored cavalry regiments, and other specialty commands by the Mobile Integrated Tactical Terminal (MITT) and the Forward Area Support Terminal (FAST). The MITT provides ETUT functionality in a more mobile vehicle than a trailer, the HMMWV. The FAST also provides ETUT-like functionality in a man-transportable, modular, survivable stand-alone multi-tasking system. The MITT and FAST systems both provide seamless multisource intelligence receipt, transmission, and analysis of a wide range of intelligence products from national, theater, and tactical collection assets. The TENCAP architecture allows the dissemination of multisource collection to all echelons in near-real time. This is done via the TENCAP Communication System Processor (CSP). The TENCAP CSP provides the capability to receive and transmit data from both landlines and radio-frequency circuits. It also provides connectivity to up to 15 mode-1, mode-1s, Generic Gateway (Digital Data Communications Protocol,DDCMP/Full Duplex Message FDMP), half duplex and asynchronous tactical circuits. This equipment is common to all TENCAP systems and gives tactical decisionmakers at all echelons the information they need, when they need it.
(U) TENCAP has been instrumental in providing intelligence and C2 assistance during numerous stability and support operations (SASO) from Somalia to Bosnia. Currently, V Corps TENCAP assets are supporting Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR both in Germany and Bosnia by providing near-real-time operational intelligence to the Peace Implementation Force (IFOR) deployed in the theater. Previously, the 10th Mountain Division's FAST deployed in support of Operations UPHOLD/MAINTAIN DEMOCRACY in Haiti and RESTORE HOPE in Somalia. TENCAP not only provided intelligence data but, because of the robust communications that TENCAP brings to the theater of operations, TENCAP provided collection managers with an additional C2 capability. Additionally, during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, numerous TENCAP assets from V Corps and III Corps deployed to Saudi Arabia.
(U) This was the first time that the TENCAP systems from all echelons deployed to support multinational forces. During all of these deployments, TENCAP systems provided near-real-time intelligence support to the tactical decisionmakers for the alliance forces and was instrumental in providing robust communications support to all U.S. Forces.
Army TENCAP Systems (U)
(U) The EPDS is a trailer-mounted, transportable system that receives and processes data collected by national, theater, and corps sensors and forwards the products to the tactical commands supported by TENCAP and the ASAS. Products of the EPDS include tailored and automatic intelligence reports, electronic order of battle updates, and dynamic database processing and reporting. The XVIII Airborne Corps, V Corps, III Corps, I Corps, the 513th MI Brigade, and the 501st MI Brigade have EPDS systems.
(U) The MIES is an imagery exploitation system capable of receiving, processing, exploiting, and disseminating national imagery and imagery products. The MIES products include annotated secondary imagery dissemination (SID) products, intelligence reports, hard-copy prints, imagery and "hasty" map products. MIES is organic to the XVIII Airborne Corps, V Corps, and the 513th MI Brigade.
(U) The ETUT is a trailer-mounted system that processes signals intelligence (SIGINT) data and intelligence received from other TENCAP systems. It provides security sanitization of the data it receives and also provides tailored reporting to its command. Products include intelligence reports, annotated imagery, and targeting data. The XVIII Airborne Corps, V Corps, III Corps, I Corps, 513th MI Brigade, and 501st MI Brigade all currently have ETUTs.
(U). The ETRAC provides all-weather day and night real-time image data to the corps commander, by receiving, processing, exploiting, and disseminating theater imagery.
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| AEPDS | Advanced Electronic Processing and Dissemination System (AEPDS) |
| EPDS | Electronic Processing and Dissemination System (EPDS) |
| ETRAC | Enhanced Tactical Radar Correlator (ETRAC) |
| ETUT | Enhanced Tactical User Terminal (ETUT) |
| FAST | Forward Area Support Terminal (FAST) |
| MIES | Modernized Imagery Exploitation System (MIES) |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| TENCAP | Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| ISR | SPACE FORCE ENHANCEMENT: INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE |
(U) None.
(U) 21 November 1997
(U) Road Map Production Date: 18 June 2001