MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Last week, the 341st Missile Wing supported U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control demonstration Feb. 22-24, 2021. The demonstration, hosted by USAFE-AFAFRICA in conjunction with the Air and Space Forces’ Chief Architect’s Office, tested command and control, and communication capabilities of joint and allied forces.
The wing contributed by exploring various communication methodologies and technologies in support of a common operating picture. Combined JADC2 events integrate technology into a common operating network which gives the joint and allied forces an information advantage across all warfighting domains.
“Our participation in this demonstration focused on establishing a baseline, or proof of concept, for future frameworks that integrate Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications into Joint All-Domain Command and Control and the Advanced Battle Management System,” said Col. Anita Feugate Opperman, 341st Missile Wing Commander. “We focused on exploring capabilities for Nuclear Command and Control over assured communication methodologies. We’re also exploring how assured communication means can be integrated with other Air Force Research Laboratory initiatives we are prototyping at our Wing Operations Center.”
ABMS will create a secure, military digital network environment leveraging proven commercial technologies, infrastructure, and applications to modernize the way we fight wars across the Department of the Air Force and ultimately the Joint Force.
“The big idea is to develop and leverage synergies between ABMS, new communication methodologies, and experimental common operating picture applications--all while expanding missile field battle space awareness across our 13,800 square mile area of responsibility,” added Feugate Opperman.
USAFE-AFAFRICA conducted last week’s CJADC2 demonstration with assets from U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. 6th Fleet, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, U.S. Strategic Command, the United Kingdom Royal Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Polish Air Force in international waters and airspace in and around the Baltic Sea.
“Striker Airmen are integral and have been involved from the very beginning,” said Maj. Gen. Andrew Gebara, director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command. “We have tested new resilient communications for our nuclear security command and control procedures, as well as new abilities to morph data in our missile fields, all through collective JADC2 efforts.”
The demonstration was designed to test and observe the ability of the Joint Force and allies and partners to integrate and provide command and control across several networks and to multiple force capabilities.
“To win the contested, high-end fight, we need to accelerate how we field critical technologies today,” said Gen. Timothy Ray, Air Force Global Strike Command commander. “Rapid, iterative experimenting ultimately places relevant capability in warfighters’ hands faster and places a priority on passing data – our strategic imperative is working towards relevant and real-time data. We cannot afford to slow our momentum on CJADC2. Our warfighters and combatant commands must be able to integrate with allies to fight at machine-to-machine speeds to win.”