Current Department of Defense command and control (C2) programs aren’t optimized for the future, and there is a growing focus on information advantage and joint C2 capabilities across the military services. Traditionally, each military branch developed its own tactical networks tied to local hubs, but implementing emerging mesh networks can increase flexibility by modernizing the way computing is stored.
Last fall, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr. agreed to a two-year Army-Air Force partnership for the development of Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), a tactical mesh network that will digitally connect all elements of the military services. The initiative expands on the existing JADC2 concept and is headed by Army Futures Command (AFC) and the Air Force’s A5 Strategy, Integration and Requirements office.
CJADC2 will combine two of the Army and Air Force’s digital transformation efforts — Project Convergence and the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
Project Convergence is the Army’s initiative to implement artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. AFC’s Cross-Function Teams are at the forefront of the project’s development.
ABMS is the Air Force’s vision for a single network that quickly collects, analyzes, and shares information for better decision-making at the edge. Set to replace old Air Force C2 capabilities, ABMS is headed by Air Force/Space Force Chief Architect Preston Dunlap.
CJADC2 is already being demonstrated by the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa to test and integrate new technologies and capabilities across multiple networks. The Space Force supported the demonstration, which confirmed the need to integrate Space Force technologies to support CJADC2.
Meanwhile, at the Navy, Adm. Mike Gilday tasked Rear Adm. Douglas Small to lead Project Overmatch, the Navy’s multi-command data network approach that will also eventually integrate into the joint warfighting concept.
Last month the Air Force’s 764th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron published a Request for White Papers to gauge possible research projects for current and future capabilities.
The original due date for offers passed on 4/27/21 — sign up for Leadership Connect’s FedSpend alerts so you don’t miss future opportunities.
Other key stakeholders include:
- Lt Gen. Dennis Crall, Director and CIO, J6 Command, Control, Communications and Computers/Cyber Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Gen. Robert Skinner, Director, Defense Information Systems Agency and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Networks
- David Spirk, Chief Data Officer, DOD
- Gen. Jeffery Valenzia, Director, A5 Force Integration and Joint All-Domain Command and Control Cross-Functional Team Lead, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability
- Roy Rockwell, Commander, Space Delta 6, United States Space Force
- Col. Daniel Bartos, Marine Corps User Engagement Representative, Cloud Computing Program Office
- Dave McDonald, Chief Information Officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific
