CITS network upgrades coming to Whiteman Published April 3, 2008 509th Communications Squadron WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- During the next year, Whiteman AFB will have its computer network infrastructure upgraded by the Air Force Combat Information Transport System (CITS) Program. This project will touch about 90 facilities, ensuring existing fiber optic connections to each facility are adequate, and install new or additional fiber optic cable if required. It will also upgrade or replace, as necessary, all network switching equipment and address power and environmental control of the communications rooms. This new technology will provide the base with the capability to support the arrival of future technological advances such as enhanced, real-time intelligence and weather imagery data, desktop video teleconferencing and voice data transmission over the traditional computer network infrastructure. Immediate benefits will be better quality network services via network backup, replacement of outdated network equipment, and improvement of network capabilities to support new systems. In May 2007, a team of engineers from Multimax, sponsored by the CITS Program Office located at Hanscom AFB, began surveying all 90 facilities and the base manhole/cable duct infrastructure to develop the project design. The installation phase will begin between April and June, where the CITS contractor will perform the actual installation of fiber optic cables and network switching equipment. Installation should take approximately 10 months. Every effort will be taken to minimize the impact of this project on the Whiteman community, but base personnel may experience a few inconveniences as a result of this base communications facelift. During the installation phase the teams will be digging trenches, cutting road and parking lot pavements, and installing new equipment in selected facilities. Every effort will be taken to limit the impact to everyone. The base POC for this project is A1C Amanda Phillips, 509 CS/SCXXP.