US Army demonstrates battle command system

Northrop Grumman’s integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) has been used in a US Army demonstration to provide a warfighter-focused, net-centric battle command system. The exercise was conducted at Redstone Arsenal in late October-early November.

The demonstration saw IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) software and hardware components employed to highlight critical capabilities tied to objectives established by warfighters. Key objectives include demonstrating the IBCS tactical air defence planner and the IBCS graphical user interface (GUI).

The IBCS tactical air defence planner is intended to replace the seven disparate, currently fielded planning tools air defenders use to determine how to optimise sensors and weapon systems to best protect assets. The IBCS GUI, known as the common warfighter machine interface, takes advantage of gaming industry advancements to intuitively enable mission command decisions.

Linnie Haynesworth, vice president and general manager of federal and defense technologies division for Northrop Grumman Information Systems, said: ‘With IBCS, Northrop Grumman aims to deliver a common battle command system for all army air defence components to help save lives and reduce system lifecycle costs. The successful demonstration is important progress and we're pleased our open architecture, any sensor-any shooter IBCS operated as planned and performed flawlessly.’

The army IAMD demonstration included two tactical integrated fire control network relays and three dismounted relays that let IBCS interface with remote weapons and sensors. The demonstration also used three tactical air defence engagement operations centres housing the IBCS computers and radios and necessary environmental control and power components.

In addition to showcasing capabilities, the IAMD demonstration served as the mechanism to execute detailed test plans, procedures, processes and data collection plans for upcoming developmental and operational testing. Furthermore, Northrop Grumman and the army collected significant feedback for the iterative prototyping and user assessment cycles of the IBCS warfighter-centred development process.

Development testing of the IBCS engagement operations centres, tactical integrated fire control network relays with net-enabled air and missile defence sensors and weapons to conduct engagements against multiple threats is scheduled for late 2014 at White Sands Missile Range. The programme is scheduled to go into low rate initial production in 2016 with fielding to begin in 2017.