An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Article Display

CITS network installations to begin at McGuire AFB

  • Published
  • By Combat Information Transport System Program
  • Management Office
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Ma. --  The Combat Information Transport System Program Management Office recently completed the site survey and design phases of the Air Force CITS computer network infrastructure upgrade. 

Under local management of the 305th Communications Squadron at McGuire, the CITS Program Office here and Northrop Grumman, its prime contractor, are preparing to begin the installation phase of this project in July. 

Over the next 12 months, the CITS project team will install fiber optic cable and network switching equipment to upgrade computer network service to state-of-the-art technology for 157 core facilities on base. The team will also upgrade power and environmental control of some building communications rooms. 

This new technology will provide McGuire users with a high-speed, high-capacity fiber optic cable network backbone for the distribution of voice, video, data, imagery and multimedia information. This new network will be more robust and reliable, and will continue the transition begun by the Air Force several years ago to move from a primarily copper cable network infrastructure to a fiber optic cable infrastructure capable of transmitting voice, data, video and sensor information on one network. In the near-term, however, the McGuire network backbone will be better equipped to handle an ever-increasing number of information systems generating a virtual avalanche of additional network traffic. 

During the coming year, the CITS contractor will install manholes, cable ducts, fiber optic cables and networking switching equipment. The installation phase will include teams digging trenches, cutting road and parking lot pavements, and installing equipment in selected facilities. Every effort will be taken to limit the impact to base personnel, but down time is to be expected. 

While measures will be taken to minimize disruptions to the McGuire community, some base personnel may be temporarily affected by this overhaul of the base network. For more information regarding this effort, call Mike Karle, the McGuire CITS project manager, at (609) 754-4539.