Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T)

Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T)
Name	Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical
Abbreviation	PEO C3T
Formed	2000s
Jurisdiction	United States Army
Headquarters	Aberdeen Proving Ground
Chief1 name	[Position: Program Executive Officer]
Parent agency	United States Department of Defense; United States Army

Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) is a United States Army acquisition organization responsible for procuring, fielding, and sustaining command, control, communications, computers, cyber, and intelligence systems for tactical forces. It manages programs that integrate radios, networks, and mission command systems used by formations from brigade to squad level, connecting platforms such as tactical vehicles and unmanned systems with national systems like satellites and data centers. PEO C3T interfaces with acquisition authorities, combatant commands, and allied staffs to align materiel solutions with operational concepts and doctrine.

Overview

PEO C3T oversees major portfolios that include tactical networking, mission command, tactical radios, and cyber resilience, supporting concepts developed by United States Army Futures Command and United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. It executes acquisition strategies under statutes such as the Defense Acquisition System and works alongside Office of the Secretary of Defense components, coordinating interoperability with programs run by Naval Sea Systems Command, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and NATO agencies like the NATO Communications and Information Agency. PEO C3T programs must meet technical standards set by bodies including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

History and Development

PEO C3T traces its organizational lineage to signal and communications procurement activities within the United States Army Signal Corps and later consolidated acquisition offices created during post-Cold War modernization. Key restructuring events occurred after the 2001 global security shifts and subsequent operational requirements in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, driving rapid procurement of tactical radios and networked systems. Programs such as the radio modernization roadmaps evolved alongside initiatives like the Joint Tactical Radio System and the Warrior Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) effort, and were shaped by lessons from the Global War on Terrorism and reviews by the Government Accountability Office.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

PEO C3T is led by a Program Executive Officer who reports to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology and coordinates with the Army Materiel Command for logistics support. The organization contains program managers responsible for portfolios such as Mission Command, Tactical Radios, and Network Transport, each supported by engineering, contracting, test, and sustainment offices. It liaises with combat developers at United States Army Forces Command, United States Army Europe, and the United States Indo-Pacific Command staff elements to refine requirements. Leadership has historically included senior acquisition professionals with backgrounds from institutions like the Defense Acquisition University and fellowships such as the Hicks and Sassaman (example) executive development programs.

Major Programs and Capabilities

Core PEO C3T programs include tactical networking suites, mission command systems, and modular radios used across armored, infantry, and aviation branches. Systems fielded under its oversight have interoperated with platforms like the M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, Stryker, and unmanned platforms including those developed by General Atomics and Northrop Grumman. Communications suites interface with satellite systems such as Wideband Global SATCOM and ground nodes tied into the Global Information Grid. PEO C3T also delivers capabilities in cyber resilience and electromagnetic spectrum operations that align with United States Cyber Command priorities and doctrine promulgated by Joint Publication 3-12.

Procurement and Acquisition Processes

Acquisition by PEO C3T follows milestones and processes codified in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Defense Acquisition System, employing contracting vehicles like Other Transaction Authorities and Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts. Program managers conduct developmental and operational testing with support from United States Army Test and Evaluation Command and the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. Requirements are validated through Capability Development Documents and coordination with Joint Requirements Oversight Council or Army requirements authorities. Budgeting interacts with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and the annual appropriations cycle of the United States Congress.

Partnerships and Industry Engagement

PEO C3T maintains partnerships with large defense primes, small businesses, and academic research centers such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Georgia Institute of Technology. Industry partners have included Harris Corporation, Raytheon Technologies, L3Harris, BAE Systems, and Boeing, among others, collaborating on radios, waveforms, and integration. International coordination occurs with allies including United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, NATO, and partner militaries in exercises like RIMPAC and DEFENDER-Europe to validate interoperability and coalition operations.

Challenges and Future Directions

PEO C3T faces challenges in rapidly fielding resilient, secure networks amid contested environments characterized by advances in electronic warfare by state actors such as Russian Federation and People's Republic of China. Cybersecurity threats, spectrum congestion, and integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning developed at centers like Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency complicate modernization. Future directions emphasize open architectures, modular open systems approach standards promoted by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, adoption of software-defined radios, cloud-native mission command aligned with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, and increased reliance on public-private partnerships to accelerate capability delivery.

Category:United States Army acquisition agencies