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5th Signal Command (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 5th Signal Command ("Dragon Warriors") is a European-based tactical and strategic communications organization of the United States Army
specializing in command and control
which supports theater
-limited, joint
-forces, and combined forces activities. The command's mission statement specifies that it will
"provide and defend integrated Theater, Joint and Combined global network operations, enabling battle command for all Warfighters.".
The 5th Signal Command, headquartered in Mannheim
, Germany, provides forward-based deployable command and control communications supporting theater, joint, and combined forces. This support leverages the Global Information Grid
(GIG) to enable extension and reachback capabilities for the Commander, United States European Command
(EUCOM). The command's primary focus is to support U.S. Army units and organizations based in Europe. The U.S. Air Force
and U.S. Navy
also have their own high-level communications organizations in the European theater comparable to 5th Signal Command and would not normally rely upon Army assets to accomplish their missions. Likewise, EUCOM headquarters also has support from Department of Defense
-level communications organizations that support networks and services not provided by 5th Signal Command.
5th Signal Command, consisting of the 2nd and 7th Signal Brigades, is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) / 9th Signal Command (Army)
, headquartered at Fort Huachuca
, Arizona
. However, the Commanding General of U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) and Seventh Army has been assigned operational control of the command. 5th Signal Command's commanding general also serves as the deputy chief of staff, G-6 (chief information officer) for USAREUR and Seventh Army.
Headquarters, 5th Signal Command was constituted in the Regular Army and activated in Germany on 1 July 1974. The Command traces its original heritage to the U.S. Army Signal Command, Europe, organized under USAREUR General Order dated 20 March 1958, which consolidated military communications in the European Theater. It consisted of the 4th and 516th Signal Groups and 102nd Signal Battalion supporting Army Group, Central Europe; NATO; USAREUR; and other elements in Europe as directed.
The organization expanded from 1961 to 1964, adding 22nd and 106th Signal Groups, with theater responsibilities extending from Belgium
, through France and Germany, to Italy. The effort to meet the challenges of rapid growth in technology and communications prompted the birth of U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command (USSTRATCOM) in Washington, D.C., in March 1964. Its role was to manage the Army’s portion of military global communications. A group of sub-commands evolved from USSTRATCOM, the first of which was STRATCOM-Europe, established 1 July 1964, in Schwetzingen
, Germany.
STRATCOM-Europe absorbed 22nd and 106th Signal Groups and other communications responsibilities from USAREUR. By the end of 1965, all USAREUR communications duties, and even the position of USAREUR Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications–Electronics, had been transferred to the STRATCOM-Europe sub-command. The Signal transformation trend continued through the 1970s; 7th Signal Brigade was activated in 1970 from assets of the deactivated Seventh Army communications command. STRATCOM-Europe assumed operational control of the brigade in June 1972 and was redesignated as Army Communications Command-Europe (ACC-E) in October 1973. The 106th and 516th Signal Groups were also inactivated during this time and replaced by the 4th Signal Group.
During the summer of 1974, ACC-E reorganized as Headquarters, 5th Signal Command at Kilbourne Kaserne in Schwetzingen. The reorganization called for the activation of 2nd and 160th Signal Groups from resources of inactivated units from the 22nd and 4th Signal Groups and the assignment of the 6981st Labor Service Group and 72nd Signal Battalion to 5th Signal Command. Additionally, the Command relocated to Taukkunen Barracks, Worms
, Germany, in August 1974, and the 12th Signal Group was inactivated by July 1975. 7th Signal Brigade remained under 5th Signal Command’s operational control until 1981, when it was officially assigned to the Command.
In the 1980s, 5th Signal Command embarked upon wide-ranging upgrades of its strategic communications equipment in Europe. The Hitler
-era 40 Strowger switches
were replaced by KN-101 electronic switching systems manufactured by Siemens
. Likewise, record (message) traffic centers were upgraded with more powerful computer hardware and the Army's microwave backbone network in Europe was modernized with digital radio equipment, and in certain locations, concrete radio towers.
The collapse of communism, dismantlement of the Soviet Union
, and disintegration of the Soviet Union introduced a new international world and prompted an Army-wide drawdown. This resulted in changes to military policy during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Warming superpower relations induced a period of adjustment and 5th Signal Command adjusted accordingly by: inactivating the 160th Signal Brigade
and consolidating its units into the 2nd Signal Brigade; inactivating the 73rd Signal Battalion and 1st Signal Battalion of 7th Signal Brigade; and relocating the US 63rd Signal Battalion to Fort Gordon Georgia
. The resulting organizational structure remains essentially intact today. The 2d Signal Brigade comprises the 39th, 43d, 52d, 69th, 102d, and 509th Signal Battalions. The 7th Signal Brigade comprises the 44th and 72nd Signal Battalions. In addition, the 22d Signal Brigade was briefly assigned to 5th Signal Command prior to the brigade's inactivation on 22 May 2007.
Base closures accompanied troop drawdown. The closure of the Worms military community brought the command to its current home at Funari Barracks in Mannheim in September 1996. The closure of the Karlsruhe
military community required 7th Signal Brigade and assigned units to relocate to Sullivan and Taylor Barracks, also in Mannheim. The commanding general of 5th Signal Command then became the senior mission commander for the Mannheim military community.
Since the 1990s, 5th Signal Command’s subordinate units have maintained a consistently high operational tempo. During Desert Shield
and Desert Storm
, the Command deployed elements of 7th Signal Brigade to the Persian Gulf
. The 44th and 63rd Signal Battalions deployed and attached to the 11th Signal Brigade, supporting Third Army/Army Central Command and XVIII Airborne Corps. The 1st Signal Battalion and the 268th Signal Company from the 72d Signal Battalion also deployed and were attached to VII Corps’ 93rd Signal Brigade. In July 1991, the 7th Signal Brigade supported the humanitarian relief and protection efforts for the Kurds during Operation Provide Comfort
.
From 1996 to 1998, 7th Signal Brigade deployed to Hungary and Bosnia, in support of Operation Joint Endeavor providing humanitarian efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Croatia
. Later in 1999, elements of the Brigade deployed to Albania
in support of Task Force Hawk
and to Kosovo
in support of Task Force Falcon
. 2d Signal Brigade provided major satellite platforms to sustain the operational base in USAREUR during each of these missions.
Since 11 September 2001, 5th Signal Command’s role as USAREUR’s communication arm has become even more critical in the effort to support the Warfighter. The process to build the infostructure in Europe as part of the larger GIG continues to evolve while our nation is at war. In 2001, 5th Signal Command developed Network Operations and Security Centers in conjunction with Network Service Centers to increase command and control of the expanding network and address security challenges, as well as improving customer service. With the increasing demand for bandwidth and diversity across the USAREUR footprint, 5th Signal Command initiated an intense effort in 2003 to develop the infrastructure with fiber optic
connectivity throughout Europe and to begin elimination of the legacy microwave
infrastructure.
In support of the Global War on Terrorism
(GWOT), 5th Signal Command provides deployable communications packages from 2nd Signal Brigade for fort-to-port operations to support deployment and redeployment operations throughout Europe. Efforts to improve command and control communications in USAREUR continue as the Command increases capability of the operational base across Europe to provide quality communications reachback to the warfighter.
Additionally, 5th Signal Command deployed significant tactical capabilities in support of the War on Terrorism. 7th Signal Brigade deployed in February 2003 into Turkey
and later southern Iraq
in support of 4th Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Division’s invasion into northern Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ability to establish satellite connectivity in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom leveraged 2nd Signal Brigade’s regional bandwidth, switching capabilities, and satellite downlinks into strategic satellite tactical and commercial entry points. This reachback extended the GIG and enabled the commander on the ground to: see friendly and enemy movements; disperse forces and conduct split-based operations; reduce the operational footprint; provide in-transit visibility of supplies, personnel, and equipment; and exploit information dominance. This reachback enhances the decision making and command and control for the commander on the ground.
From January through December 2004, Headquarters, 7th Signal Brigade and 72nd Signal Battalion deployed to Kuwait
and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2, providing tactical communications in support of Combined Forces Land Component Commander in Doha, Kuwait. In March 2005, 7th Signal Brigade deployed Task Force Lightning, comprising elements of 44th and 509th Signal Battalions, to Afghanistan
for Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Southern European Task Force.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
specializing in command and control
Command and Control (military)
Command and control, or C2, in a military organization can be defined as the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission...
which supports theater
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
-limited, joint
Joint warfare
Joint warfare is a military doctrine which places priority on the integration of the various service branches of a state's armed forces into one unified command...
-forces, and combined forces activities. The command's mission statement specifies that it will
"provide and defend integrated Theater, Joint and Combined global network operations, enabling battle command for all Warfighters.".
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
- Description: On an orange shield with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) white border 2 ¼ inches (5.72 cm) in width and 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height a stylized green demi-dragon with red eye emitting two black flashes.
- Symbolism:
- Orange and white are the colors traditionally associated with Signal units.
- The demi-dragon alludes to the unit’s area of operations in WormsWorms, GermanyWorms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, Germany. - Background: The insignia was authorized on 1994-10-24.
Distinctive Unit Insignia
- Description: A silver color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall consisting of five flashes converging at center on a silver disc with three concentric black circles all encircled by an orange scroll inscribed "PROFESSIONAL" at top and "COMMUNICATIONS" in base in silver letters.
- Symbolism:
- Orange and white (silver) are the colors traditionally associated with the Signal Corps.
- The disc with black lines alludes to the globe, the flashes forming lines of longitude, and symbolizes the far reaching scope of the unit’s mission.
- They also resemble a target, indicating accuracy and efficiency.
- The five flashes refer to the unit’s numerical designation.
- Background: The insignia was authorized on 1983-04-13.
Lineage
- Constituted 1974-07-01 in the Regular ArmyRegular ArmyThe Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Signal Command, and activated in Germany.
Formation
- This section contains public-domain text taken from The History of the 5th Signal Command
The 5th Signal Command, headquartered in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Germany, provides forward-based deployable command and control communications supporting theater, joint, and combined forces. This support leverages the Global Information Grid
Global Information Grid
The Global Information Grid is an all-encompassing communications project of the United States Department of Defense.It is defined as a "globally interconnected, end-to-end set of information capabilities for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating, and managing information on demand to...
(GIG) to enable extension and reachback capabilities for the Commander, United States European Command
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
(EUCOM). The command's primary focus is to support U.S. Army units and organizations based in Europe. The U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
also have their own high-level communications organizations in the European theater comparable to 5th Signal Command and would not normally rely upon Army assets to accomplish their missions. Likewise, EUCOM headquarters also has support from Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
-level communications organizations that support networks and services not provided by 5th Signal Command.
5th Signal Command, consisting of the 2nd and 7th Signal Brigades, is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) / 9th Signal Command (Army)
Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command
Army Network Enterprise Technology Command is a subordinate command under the Army Cyber Command. Its mission is operating and defending United States Army computer networks. The numerical command for NETCOM is 9th Army Signal Command. Its heritage can be traced back to the creation of the 9th...
, headquartered at Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about north of the border with Mexico. Beginning in 1913, for 20 years the fort was the base for the "Buffalo...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. However, the Commanding General of U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) and Seventh Army has been assigned operational control of the command. 5th Signal Command's commanding general also serves as the deputy chief of staff, G-6 (chief information officer) for USAREUR and Seventh Army.
Headquarters, 5th Signal Command was constituted in the Regular Army and activated in Germany on 1 July 1974. The Command traces its original heritage to the U.S. Army Signal Command, Europe, organized under USAREUR General Order dated 20 March 1958, which consolidated military communications in the European Theater. It consisted of the 4th and 516th Signal Groups and 102nd Signal Battalion supporting Army Group, Central Europe; NATO; USAREUR; and other elements in Europe as directed.
The organization expanded from 1961 to 1964, adding 22nd and 106th Signal Groups, with theater responsibilities extending from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, through France and Germany, to Italy. The effort to meet the challenges of rapid growth in technology and communications prompted the birth of U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command (USSTRATCOM) in Washington, D.C., in March 1964. Its role was to manage the Army’s portion of military global communications. A group of sub-commands evolved from USSTRATCOM, the first of which was STRATCOM-Europe, established 1 July 1964, in Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen is a German town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim.Schwetzingen is one of the 5 biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and it is a medium-sized centre including the cities and municipalities of...
, Germany.
STRATCOM-Europe absorbed 22nd and 106th Signal Groups and other communications responsibilities from USAREUR. By the end of 1965, all USAREUR communications duties, and even the position of USAREUR Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications–Electronics, had been transferred to the STRATCOM-Europe sub-command. The Signal transformation trend continued through the 1970s; 7th Signal Brigade was activated in 1970 from assets of the deactivated Seventh Army communications command. STRATCOM-Europe assumed operational control of the brigade in June 1972 and was redesignated as Army Communications Command-Europe (ACC-E) in October 1973. The 106th and 516th Signal Groups were also inactivated during this time and replaced by the 4th Signal Group.
During the summer of 1974, ACC-E reorganized as Headquarters, 5th Signal Command at Kilbourne Kaserne in Schwetzingen. The reorganization called for the activation of 2nd and 160th Signal Groups from resources of inactivated units from the 22nd and 4th Signal Groups and the assignment of the 6981st Labor Service Group and 72nd Signal Battalion to 5th Signal Command. Additionally, the Command relocated to Taukkunen Barracks, Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, Germany, in August 1974, and the 12th Signal Group was inactivated by July 1975. 7th Signal Brigade remained under 5th Signal Command’s operational control until 1981, when it was officially assigned to the Command.
In the 1980s, 5th Signal Command embarked upon wide-ranging upgrades of its strategic communications equipment in Europe. The Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
-era 40 Strowger switches
Stepping switch
In electrical controls, a stepping switch, also known as a stepping relay, is an electromechanical device which allows an input connection to be connected to one of a number of possible output connections, under the control of a series of electrical pulses. It can step on one axis , or on two axes...
were replaced by KN-101 electronic switching systems manufactured by Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
. Likewise, record (message) traffic centers were upgraded with more powerful computer hardware and the Army's microwave backbone network in Europe was modernized with digital radio equipment, and in certain locations, concrete radio towers.
The collapse of communism, dismantlement of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and disintegration of the Soviet Union introduced a new international world and prompted an Army-wide drawdown. This resulted in changes to military policy during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Warming superpower relations induced a period of adjustment and 5th Signal Command adjusted accordingly by: inactivating the 160th Signal Brigade
160th Signal Brigade (United States)
The 160th Signal Brigade is a communications formation of the United States Army, currently based at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. It traces its history back to the end of the Second World War.-Mission:...
and consolidating its units into the 2nd Signal Brigade; inactivating the 73rd Signal Battalion and 1st Signal Battalion of 7th Signal Brigade; and relocating the US 63rd Signal Battalion to Fort Gordon Georgia
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
. The resulting organizational structure remains essentially intact today. The 2d Signal Brigade comprises the 39th, 43d, 52d, 69th, 102d, and 509th Signal Battalions. The 7th Signal Brigade comprises the 44th and 72nd Signal Battalions. In addition, the 22d Signal Brigade was briefly assigned to 5th Signal Command prior to the brigade's inactivation on 22 May 2007.
Base closures accompanied troop drawdown. The closure of the Worms military community brought the command to its current home at Funari Barracks in Mannheim in September 1996. The closure of the Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
military community required 7th Signal Brigade and assigned units to relocate to Sullivan and Taylor Barracks, also in Mannheim. The commanding general of 5th Signal Command then became the senior mission commander for the Mannheim military community.
Since the 1990s, 5th Signal Command’s subordinate units have maintained a consistently high operational tempo. During Desert Shield
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, the Command deployed elements of 7th Signal Brigade to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. The 44th and 63rd Signal Battalions deployed and attached to the 11th Signal Brigade, supporting Third Army/Army Central Command and XVIII Airborne Corps. The 1st Signal Battalion and the 268th Signal Company from the 72d Signal Battalion also deployed and were attached to VII Corps’ 93rd Signal Brigade. In July 1991, the 7th Signal Brigade supported the humanitarian relief and protection efforts for the Kurds during Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
.
From 1996 to 1998, 7th Signal Brigade deployed to Hungary and Bosnia, in support of Operation Joint Endeavor providing humanitarian efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Later in 1999, elements of the Brigade deployed to Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in support of Task Force Hawk
Task Force Hawk
Task Force Hawk was the unit constructed and deployed by General Wesley Clark to provide additional support to NATO's Operation Allied Force by NATO operations against the former Yugoslavian government during the 1999 unrest in Kosovo...
and to Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in support of Task Force Falcon
Task Force Falcon (US)
Task Force Falcon is the name of a US Army Task Force serving as part of KFOR in Kosovo. At the moment, the Task Force serves in Afghanistan, Bagram and Kabul....
. 2d Signal Brigade provided major satellite platforms to sustain the operational base in USAREUR during each of these missions.
Twenty-first century
- This section contains public-domain text taken from The History of the 5th Signal Command
Since 11 September 2001, 5th Signal Command’s role as USAREUR’s communication arm has become even more critical in the effort to support the Warfighter. The process to build the infostructure in Europe as part of the larger GIG continues to evolve while our nation is at war. In 2001, 5th Signal Command developed Network Operations and Security Centers in conjunction with Network Service Centers to increase command and control of the expanding network and address security challenges, as well as improving customer service. With the increasing demand for bandwidth and diversity across the USAREUR footprint, 5th Signal Command initiated an intense effort in 2003 to develop the infrastructure with fiber optic
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
connectivity throughout Europe and to begin elimination of the legacy microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
infrastructure.
In support of the Global War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
(GWOT), 5th Signal Command provides deployable communications packages from 2nd Signal Brigade for fort-to-port operations to support deployment and redeployment operations throughout Europe. Efforts to improve command and control communications in USAREUR continue as the Command increases capability of the operational base across Europe to provide quality communications reachback to the warfighter.
Additionally, 5th Signal Command deployed significant tactical capabilities in support of the War on Terrorism. 7th Signal Brigade deployed in February 2003 into Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and later southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in support of 4th Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Division’s invasion into northern Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ability to establish satellite connectivity in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom leveraged 2nd Signal Brigade’s regional bandwidth, switching capabilities, and satellite downlinks into strategic satellite tactical and commercial entry points. This reachback extended the GIG and enabled the commander on the ground to: see friendly and enemy movements; disperse forces and conduct split-based operations; reduce the operational footprint; provide in-transit visibility of supplies, personnel, and equipment; and exploit information dominance. This reachback enhances the decision making and command and control for the commander on the ground.
From January through December 2004, Headquarters, 7th Signal Brigade and 72nd Signal Battalion deployed to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2, providing tactical communications in support of Combined Forces Land Component Commander in Doha, Kuwait. In March 2005, 7th Signal Brigade deployed Task Force Lightning, comprising elements of 44th and 509th Signal Battalions, to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
for Operation Enduring Freedom in support of the Southern European Task Force.
Mission Statement and Motto
- Mission: Provide forward-based deployable command and control communications supporting theater, joint, and combined forces, which leverages the Global Information Grid to enable extension and reach-back capabilities for the Combatant Commander European Command.
- Motto: Dragon Warriors, Any Mission, Anywhere!"
Subordinate units
- 2nd Signal Brigade2nd Signal Brigade (United States)The 2nd Signal Brigade is a military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the 5th Signal Command and located at Wiesbaden Army Airfield .-Composition:* 2nd Signal Brigade...
- 7th Signal Brigade7th Signal Brigade (United States)The 7th Signal Brigade is an military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the 5th Signal Command and located at Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany.* 7th Signal Brigade...