Collins Aerospace Unveils Cutting-Edge JADC2 Networking Solutions at Valiant Shield 2022
Collins Aerospace effectively showcased its capability to assist warfighters in reducing the kill chain and providing a unified operational picture (UOP) to distributed joint forces by utilizing cutting-edge communication, networking, mission computing, and sensing technologies during the Defense Department’s recent Valiant Shield 2022 exercise in the Indo-Pacific area.
To exhibit solutions that align with the DoD’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) strategies, Collins integrated various Joint Force assets situated within the Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) with operations across the continental U.S. The firm’s Intelligent Gateway bridge facilitated connections among different networks, leveraging the foundational capabilities of Air Mobility Command’s KC-135 Real-Time Information in the Cockpit (RTIC) program of record.
Throughout the exercise, a forward-deployed reconnaissance sensor detected and processed vital target information utilizing AI/ML Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) via INFAMI, an “app store” edge-processing application. The gathered data was transmitted from the Pacific back to the Common Mission Control Center (CMCC) at Beale AFB through Collins’ Intelligent Gateway, which was integrated onboard the KC-135. Data was bridged through Advanced Tactical Data Link, Beyond Line of Sight SATCOM, SIPRNET, and Tactical Data Link networks before being extended to other joint C2 assets, Airborne Strike Aircraft, and Joint fire entities. This information was also presented in the KC-135 to enhance aircrew situational awareness, improving survivability and enabling mission extension capabilities for Air Mobility Command aircraft equipped with RTIC avionics solutions.
“This exercise demonstrated how data sharing via multiple connectivity nodes can expedite the kill chain with quicker decision-making across vast distances and diverse domains,” stated Elaine Bitonti, vice president of JADC2 Demonstration and Experimentation for Collins Aerospace. “Furthermore, Collins’ Intelligent Gateways provided a Common Operational Picture to new joint service users, enhancing situational awareness at the tactical edge – a critical aspect for achieving mission success in future engagements.”
Valiant Shield 2022 is a U.S.-exclusive, biennial field training exercise concentrated on the integration of joint training in a multi-domain setting. This training cultivates real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces by detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and in cyberspace in response to various mission areas. In a previous multi-domain connectivity demonstration, Collins collaborated with the 151st ARW, utilizing a KC-135 as a connectivity node for secure data transfer to and from the tactical edge of the battlespace through resilient networking and autonomous processing solutions.
