United States Forces Korea (USFK)
utilizes Language Weaver Edge
to break down language barriers
to optimize joint force Command,
Control and Communications (C3)
The client
United States Forces Korea (USFK)
Industry
Aerospace and Defense
Solution element
Language Weaver Edge

At a January 2021 United States Forces Korea (USFK)
technology conference, General Robert Abrams(retired) was overheard speaking to his South Korean
Command counterpart saying, “Our countries havebeen doing exercises together for 70 years now. Why
do I still need to call a translator when I get an email
from you?”An initiative to break down language barriers wasborn that day!
Challenge
With the growing threat of aggression in the Pacific region, effective
real-time communication between non-English speaking allied militaries
is crucial for maintaining peace and stability.
US military forces stationed in Korea work closely with Korean Army
personnel and Pacific allied foreign militaries to deter aggression andmaintain peace. Joint military operations have been increasingly common
in recent years as countries seek to pool their resources and coordinate
their efforts to address shared security challenges. By working together,joint forces can leverage their collective strengths and overcome thelimitations of individual countries, making them a more effective andefficient force.

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USFK Case Study

US forces were facing a language barrier with their Korean military counterparts.
The availability of translators is limited, and interpreters are reserved for the highest
levels of command. Email, chatbots, secure radio transmissions and face-to-facecommunication are often hindered by the language barrier if a translator is unavailable.
Teams often wait months for documents to be translated, delaying comprehension
and communication. The risk of miscommunication was increasing and contributing
to ineffective joint exercises.
To facilitate better and faster communication, USFK was looking for a solution that:•

Translates text and documents from Korean to English and from English to Korean•

Connects with instantaneous chat software for seamless integration into the joint
force command and control communication infrastructure•

Is an on-premises solution that meets strict security requirements•

Scales to support high translation demand (hundreds of thousands of wordsper minute)•Allows instant, real-time translation for all personnel, down to the lowest levels
when communicating in English

Solution
Several testing and review cycles took place during live joint exercises as the militaryevaluated Language Weaver Edge. USFK found that Language Weaver Edge can beembedded in their existing communication infrastructure and allows for seamless
communication between all participants, regardless of their native language, which
led to smoother and more effective joint exercises.
The US military has strict cybersecurity requirements and a comprehensive authority
to operate (ATO) process. Language Weaver Edge met all the criteria for a secure
on-premises solution.
After a successful evaluation, USFK determined that Language Weaver Edge is the bestsolution for their needs and migrated the test environment to production on the dayof license acquisition.

Photo by: Ministry of Defense

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USFK Case Study

Results
The software, designed for military use, allows USFK personnel
to communicate with other military personnel from different
countries in real-time and with minimal delays. Security inthe region is enhanced by improved situational awarenessand faster force coordination.
Translation is no longer a resource just for the seniorleadership. Personnel at all levels can translate at any time
into English and Korean and with high quality, further enabling
communication and cooperation between forces. Now, the useof existing human translators is optimized so they can focus
on where they are needed most.
Thanks to the improved agility, the existing localization
resource pool can translate more documents, emails and otherwritten materials in the same amount of time, enabling higher
comprehension and a faster exchange of information between
US and Korean military forces.
The acquisition of the software is a major step toward breaking
down language barriers and enhancing communication andcollaboration during joint exercises, ultimately serving theUSFK’s mission of protecting the region.
Key benefits for USFK•

Improved situational awareness•Real-time communication with minimal delays•

Multi-force support on existing classified andunclassified networks•

Issues resolved more rapidly and withfewer misunderstandings•

Faster document translation enables higher comprehension•

Maintained and supported by US Army 1st Signal Brigade•

Personnel at all levels can translate into English and Korean
as needed and at any time•

Language barrier knocked down!

Key facts & figures•

Deployment: Days•

Chat translation turnaround time: Instant•

Personnel using Language Weaver Edge: Thousands ofmilitary personnel on the Korean peninsula•

Document translation turnaround time: Grown from 2,000words per day per localization resource to 2,000 words
per minute

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USFK Case Study

To learn more:
rws.com/language-weaver/government-solutions

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