The future

[carpetsfm7sr94champs]

How do we see the Corps and the Army in ten years time ? Hash included in the 24hr rat packs ? Who knows in this tree hugging era that were going through! Oh yeah i forgot, peace out.

 

[boney_m]

I fully expect us all to be supporting the British Expeditionary Force as they take over Mars. This isnt a pipe dream, its simply forward thinking. Members of the Corps Yesterday:

Signaller Fuzz Aldrin Yesterday "I'm assured by my bosses that by the time i get into orbit bowman will work. I know there has been talk about the delivery time for Falcon, but i'm assured that by the time we land on Mars it will be fully functional, i look forward to being the first human on Mars in 2027"

Ahhhhh, a true stalwart of the Corps, i'm sure you'll agree

Boney

 

[tazman]

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 5:26 am

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How do we see the Corps and the Army in ten years time ? Hash included in the 24hr rat packs ? Who knows in this tree hugging era that were going through! Oh yeah i forgot, peace out.
_________________
stay down there and bleed a while before you taste some real pain


Who gives a monkeys T**Y An****s I am oot noo ha ha

Taz

 

[CardinalSin]

I expect full compliance with the dream of Network Enabled Capability. Our select band of ICS professionals will be getting the right information to the right people at the right time, linking sensors to shooters...etc etc. It's all in the NEC handbook.

Only problem is that these things sound great when they're in a "Tomorrow's World" planning pipedream which is some time off. The actual execution relies on a very important factor - money. You get what you pay for, so if you choose the lowest bidder (from the usual conglomerate of BAE, EDS, GD, Fujitsu, EADS etcwho have good track records of ripping off the military) then don't act surprised when it doesn't turn out to be the gold-plated solution you wished for.

I reckon that if you're a RSIGNALS trademan (or woman) you should start looking at all this emerging technology. That means when you're plonked in the deep end with a posting to a Falcon or Cormorant unit you're not immediately overwhelmed with the new acronyms, TLAs etc. I like to think of the metaphor of the learning curve - the better forearmed you are, the higher up you hit the curve and more likely to get over it!

CS

 

[Zorro]

Well said CS, spot on!

The Corps will carry on doing what it has for the last 90 years. Making things work with what we have (or havent) been given. New technologies will bring benefits for the man on the front line and numerous headaches for us lesser mortals to manage. Our biggest problem will continue to be user expectation (as in 'my 3G mobile is better than this crap!") etc etc

Just grin and bear it and remember, a day in the Corp is like a day on the farm, every breakfast a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, I love the corps!!!!

Now where is my special jacket and happy pills..................

 

[IS Ski Geek]

Plonked in the deep end is probably one of the most honest phrases I have heard in a while.

 

[CardinalSin]

Plonked in the deep end is probably one of the most honest phrases I have heard in a while.

What? Moderators are like senior officers - you never hear honest opinion. It's all that "boots fit ok? mail getting through?" rubbish - go on admit it!

P***taking aside Mr Geek - and nothing to do with the thread (can't be bothered to PM) - check out http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/features/julyaug05/camocom_julaug.html - I know it will be right up the IS Ski Geek street. It's a right riveting read.

 

[boney_m]

Plonked in the deep end is probably one of the most honest phrases I have heard in a while.

What? Moderators are like senior officers - you never hear honest opinion. It's all that "boots fit ok? mail getting through?" rubbish - go on admit it!

P***taking aside Mr Geek - and nothing to do with the thread (can't be bothered to PM) - check out http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/features/julyaug05/camocom_julaug.html - I know it will be right up the IS Ski Geek street. It's a right riveting read.

Good link that cardinal, and just to prove how sad i really am, i bookmarked it!

Boney

 

[Proximo]

...and just to prove how sad i really am, i bookmarked it...

Didn't need more proof, Boney!

The only thing I'd add to His Excellency Sin's post (above) is that we also need to make shure our people are in place. He alludes to money as being the critical resource - a truism - but if (corporate) we don't start selecting our people across the piece, we are going to fall on our arrses when we awake from the nightmare of convoluted C2 relationships, ropey comms held together with string, and pi$$ed off toms into the bright, brave new dawn of NEC!

I actually have the handbook in my bedside table at home....

...and I'm shure that I've worked with all you lot on one trial or other over the past 2 years...none of you are cynical about Bowman, which means you know the truth about it.

Long live the journey....

 

[Craprobat]

I had the pleasure of reading the NEC Doc, (Nice pictures and some snazzy diagrams!). In an ideal world we would flow seemlessly into integrated operational bliss. However despite all the planning and training that will flow out of the Towers of Power; I will eat my increadibly tasty berret if this one survives contact with the massed ranks of today's corps.

The "can do" attitude still abides in many areas of the corps that I have had the honour to serve in. Only problem is that the "making do" only lasts for so long. The interpretation being that if the task at hand can be achieved by a couple of Siggies with some bodge tape and a paper clip working waist-deep in shyte during their weekend off, then why throw the correct funding or G1/G4 support at it (synical view I know but tell me if it isnt true). I would happily stand up and applaud if they pull it off cos it would finally indicate that they finally came up with a plan that worked from the top to the bottom and not just from the top to the [send] button!

 

[Proximo]

ARTG, you are correct Sir!

I derive immense amusement from watching supposedly knowledgable people reach that divine moment of realisation that 'bodging it' simply doesn't work with computer based systems - if you don't get everything right, 'Family Fortunes'-style buzzers go off and the whole lot crashes down around your ears!

One of the (many) problems we have with NEC, and Bowman specifically, is that we simply have no idea 'why' it doesn't work from one minute to the next, in spite of some incredibly clever people (see above - not me) getting their brains around what they are being led to believe by, amongst others, GD(UK)!

 

[Ragnar]

Good link that cardinal, and just to prove how sad i really am, i bookmarked it!

Boney

Ah.... LIAG(V) theY wouldn't let me in...... right, I was gonna put my greatest Hacks on my CV ..........


The RAFs router people were so shit we had to create our work arounds

 

[Disco]

Plonked in the deep end is probably one of the most honest phrases I have heard in a while.

What? Moderators are like senior officers - you never hear honest opinion. It's all that "boots fit ok? mail getting through?" rubbish - go on admit it!

P***taking aside Mr Geek - and nothing to do with the thread (can't be bothered to PM) - check out http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/features/julyaug05/camocom_julaug.html - I know it will be right up the IS Ski Geek street. It's a right riveting read.

Excellent stuff CS and it highlights so many aggrevating issues such as..

The classification system affects every aspect of military information security. Military people understand how it works and apply it routinely. The same goes for security systems. For example, every security-related item on a military network in the UK has to be approved by the Communication Equipment Support Group at GCHQ, part of the British intelligence community. This can take six months or more.

The JSP states the hows and whens but the chain of command especially at SO3 Upwards fail to give credit to the acreditation process. "WE WANT IT NOW, AT MINIMAL COST" Security is a dirty word apparently!

This level of scrutiny applies to networks as much as to components. “Every network must be approved for its classification. You can’t just build a network. Someone is going to come along an accredit you,” according to Telindus’s Smith. The result is walled gardens and networks that don’t. It’s not uncommon to see two or even five different computers on some desks because each is on a network with a different security clearance.

Ah the finer points of network planning and installation, the RED BLACK and BLUE dilemma, of course the Cmdr wants all three and on the same desk. He does not give 2 shiny sh1tes for spatial TEMPEST seperation and classification. Much hair/wieght/sleep is lost and a moment of Eureka sees all three some how fitting together inside his office (with TETRIS style trunking taboot!). However 2 days later he has had some fly leads made and they all sit bl00dy next to each other next to his INSECURE and SECURE phone. Yes nice one sir lets have a chat!

The result is that approved equipment tends to be very expensive, lower in functionality and lags several releases behind the commercial equivalent. Once in operation, the requirement to give users greater control over processes means that much functionality and automation is switched off, resulting in a further expense and inefficiency cost.

Oh yes, the bang upto date PC running on an aged OS which does not support new hardware! At times a blessing (the SO3 wants to sync his PDA with his JOCS/CASH machine etc) but for many a tradesman a nightmare. "No you cannot have a standalone running win xp for your OTDR traces" etc


Of course this is all the fun part of being an IS Engr, Inst Tech and a Sys Engr. If we wanted it easy we would of joined the Foreign Legion

This little gem I found a little misleading more of a soundbite,

A further hidden cost is the danger of conservatism. There is much resistance to new technology such as wireless networks. “There’s still a mentality that wiring the network is much safer in the long term than going wireless,” says Smith. “I’m ex-Royal Signals and I’ve gone into the field to deploy a network. It can take you four or five hours to wire up an HQ that’s only going to be in use for three. With wireless, you can network while you’re [still] in convoy.”

Ah the wireless argument, Now dont get me wrong I am a cable guy but I do recognise the important of wireless installations. But there are too many "issues" with wireless to make it a viable option at this time and maybe anytime in the future. Its not all about "how fast" it can be installed or "how long " the BG stays in one place. Too many factors involved Im afraid. Mr Smith, it is not so much resistance to new technologies more of common sense to the threat, and you contradict yourselve about long term issues then talk of short term hops

As for the future as touched on in the VOIP thread we are going to see an increase in commercially provided capability and a drop in Forces self functionality/reliability. The CEO`s are laughing all the way to the bank, and we will continue to train the Co-orporate engineers and techinicians of the future, however once they have a COGENT/Paradigm/BA Systems/BT and so on emblem on their chest the Forces will magically recognise them as industry proffesionals placing their concepts above our own.

TELIC proved a major shift regarding Military run capability and Commercially run capability and like Garlic bread its the future Ive tasted it!

 

[chocolate_frog]

The Future?

Haven't any of you seen the poster with the Royal Signals Space ship?

That's the future, right there!!

We're already getting ready. Most of the hierachy are space cadets already!!!!

 

[CardinalSin]

Oh damn it, let's just deploy with microsoft office, windows messenger (with the video conferencing plug-in thingy) and bow to the throne of Bill.