Testers from the U.S. Army Operational Test Command's Aviation Test Directorate are conducting an initial operational test for the new Mobile Towers System at North Fort Hood.

The Mobile Tower Systems is designed to establish air traffic control services during the initial phases of deployment overseas, and to sustain those services throughout operations and redeployment, according to briefing documents. The system can provide terminal air traffic control services for high-traffic landing areas and airfields.

"This system gives the air traffic controller soldiers more flexibility," said Gary Vaughn, a test officer. "Now that it's mobile and portable, they can take it anywhere in the world in a matter of hours."

The system is self deployable and can be airlifted to remote locations during emergencies, Vaughn said.

"If you have a hurricane, or if other natural disasters knock out your airfield operations, you can employ the (system) quickly to restore air traffic control services," he continued.

The system consists of three main components: An up-armored Medium Tactical Vehicle cargo truck that transports the systems shelter, serves as the shelter's platform and tows the system's power generators; and a pair of Humvees that tow the systems' organic airfield lighting system.

The system is designed to replace two older tower systems, the AN/TSQ-70A and the AN/TSW-7A.

"(The system) is a replacement for the Army's 7 Alpha system," Vaughn said. "The Army is looking for a more modern system, with newer technology and more capabilities in one single system."

Before the system is fielded to the soldiers, it must go through an Initial Operational Test. An operational test is conducted by soldiers performing real-life scenarios on the equipment being tested. The test team from the command conducts the test, collects and manages test data, and prepares the final test report.

"We let soldiers execute their mission, and while they're doing that, if something breaks, then the data collector writes down information about how it broke and what the soldier did to correct the problem," said Larry Hood, operations officer. "We conduct surveys with the soldiers, and we ask them questions about their mission and how the equipment performed during mission execution."

The system test produces data on the system's abilities to carry out selected operational missions, and it assesses the system's operational effectiveness, suitability and survivability. The system's new equipment training and pilot test were conducted in the weeks prior to the test using a production-representative system, according to briefing documents.

During the test, the system provides air traffic control services for the 166th Aviation Brigade in their support of Division West's mobilization training center on Longhorn airstrip, North Fort Hood, Hood said. The maximum density of aircraft at the mobilization training center during the test was 42 aircraft, including Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, acted as aviation tower controllers for the test.

The system tested its airfield lighting system with the system on a runway on North Fort Hood, where it ran day and night airfield operations. In order to use its full-length airfield lighting capabilities, the airfield lighting system was also tested without the system on a taxiway on Robert Gray Army Airfield.

Vaughn said command testers are unbiased to the results of the test, because their focus is on gathering enough data to give an honest assessment of the system.