Industry Interview: Cubic Global Tracking Solutions

MLF 2011 Volume: 5 Issue: 6 (July)

  

Mary Ann Wagner is president of Cubic Global Tracking Solutions. She has more than 25 years’ experience in global logistics, supply chain management and consulting services for corporate and government clients. She played an integral role in the rollout of passive RFID technology throughout the Department of Defense supply chain. Since becoming president of CGTS, Wagner has focused on enhancing supply chain business processes with state-of-the-art asset tracking and monitoring products and capabilities.

Q: Please provide some background on Cubic Global Tracking Solutions and the company’s work with DoD in the logistics arena.

A: Through our Global Sentinel System we provide tailored capability to continuously track and monitor assets, no matter what or where they are in the world. This includes immediate alerting with precise location if anomalies occur. As a subcontractor in the Army Logistics Innovation Agency [LIA] Next Generation Wireless Communications [NGWC] technology program, we are developing and operationally fielding encrypted wireless mesh networks for DoD that require no fixed infrastructure, allowing rapid costeffective deployment even in remote and inhospitable environments. We also offer supply chain and communications consulting to government and commercial organizations.

Q: As a major player in the military logistics arena, how is Cubic helping DoD meet current key logistics objectives?

A: Military logistics has two dimensions: effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness in meeting warfighter requirements is always paramount. Efficiency means lowest cost without detriment to the combat mission. With the Global Sentinel System of sensors, communications and information management, we provide scalable solution sets targeted to specific customer requirements. This contributes to both effectiveness and efficiency.

Let me cite two examples. The first illustrates how our Container Tracking and Monitoring Service [CTMS] delivers tracking and monitoring capabilities not previously available to DoD. CTMS followed a DoD strategic customer’s transport containers from the United States to a combat theater. While en route we detected a diversion and intrusion in an austere segment of the route. DoD authorities were alerted within two minutes of the event and were concurrently provided precise GPS coordinates on map graphics. This addressed two issues: theft of critical DoD assets, and force protection where the container was earmarked to be checked for potentially harmful content before delivery to the destination.

Second, our Yard Management Service [YMS] is using mesh networking in the Army Mobility Asset Tracking System [AMATS] to support the Iraq retrograde Wash Rack operation to track vehicles and other assets across a 167-acre facility in Kuwait. YMS and AMATS provide DoD managers with precise location and status without expenditure of manpower to ‘walk the yard’ with scanners or clipboards or the requirement to install a radio frequency identification reader-transponder infrastructure. This same approach can be used at seaports, rail yards and other facilities where equipment is marshaled on large acreage.

Our consulting group additionally provides cost-saving services through analysis and re-engineering of business processes and hands-on implementation of advanced technology to enhance those processes.

Q: What are some of the new programs you’re working on in partnership with DoD agencies and the military services?

A: We are very proud to be engaged with Army LIA under the NGWC contract as a subcontractor to ARINC Inc. to support AMATS deployment. Although 802.15.4 mesh isn’t new, we have broken through previous barriers in battery life, encryption, communications protocols and other important aspects. AMATS is demonstrating these benefits and we are only scratching the surface of mesh capability. We are actively pressing the edge of the technological envelope to better support business operations. In addition, we are working with Unites States Transportation Command and industry on container transport through high-threat areas in theater using our Global Sentinel satellite intrusion detection technology. Other government agencies are also utilizing these capabilities.

Q: What are some of the main challenges you are facing in meeting the needs of the 21st century warfighter in the current budget climate?

A: Challenges mean talking about budget. DoD components are now and will continue to face budget constraints. Our solutions and services offer savings, especially in a life cycle context. Sometimes it is difficult to quantify savings. If re-engineered business processes and application of appropriate technology to enable those processes can reduce the white space in DoD and vendor supply chains, we know that produces efficiencies. Savings have been documented by the DoD customer at the Wash Rack deployment in Kuwait, and the decision has been made to deploy throughout the region.

Q: What are your goals for 2011/2012?

A: Cubic GTS came into being in January 2011, so we’ve been running hard to develop our solution set and meet the warfighters’ requirements and expectations in a timely manner. We’ve ramped up our manufacturing capabilities and are responding to the high demand in the DoD marketplace for both Global Sentinel and AMATS mesh tags. We are expanding the features and benefits of our solutions while reducing costs. For 2012, our focus will be on scaling to support broad global deployment offerings and preparing the 802.15.4 mesh for licensing to third party developers. ♦

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