#1: Small COP/PB Force Protection and Sustainment

Army Challenge # Category 1a: Force Protection - Basing

Problem Statement: It takes too long and too much manpower to deploy, set up, protect, sustain and relocate Combat Outposts (COPs) and Patrol Bases (PBs).

Challenge: Reduce the percentage of Soldiers needed to set-up a COP/PB and protect against threats (including small arms, indirect fires, air delivered weapons, and CBRNE) in austere, restricted terrains.

Who: Focus on Combat Outposts and Patrol Bases in Afghanistan-like conditions

What: Representative COP/PBs baseline indicates that it takes 60-90 days using 70% of the manpower assets (i.e., 70% not available for mission tasks)

How: Measure impact on Soldier availability and set-up time

Objectives: Increase Soldier availability for mission tasks vs. set-up and security tasks to 50% in 30 days with increased force protection; decrease tear-down time to no more than 4 days and increase the percentage of material reusable at next COP within 100 miles.