This video highlights the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense command’s unique global air and missile defense capabilities and the amenities Fort Bliss and El Paso, Texas, offer to those assigned to the organization.
06.01.2020
Video by Staff Sgt. Mark A Moore II
32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command
By Robbin Laird
Clearly, the shift to joint warfare encompassing all domains, the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and work approaches and styles, and the growing impact of commercial investments in 5G communications or artificial intelligence in managing data are all having a significant impact on the way ahead for the U.S. military, its allies and its partners.
In the view of Mike Twyman, President of Cubic Mission Solutions, we are seeing a tsunami of change that is influencing battlespace composition, ISR solutions, protected communications and 5G.
Since he has come to Cubic, Mr. Twyman has focused on ways to build out the sector to evolve as the strategic environment changes and to shape the kind of C2/ISR capabilities the military needs both now and in the future.
In a recent interview with Twyman in his office in San Diego, he highlighted the focus of his mission solutions group and how they are contributing to the capabilities needed for the new strategic environment.
He argued that “we are focused on mission solutions, not systems. Our goal is to deliver solutions that enable future warfighting concepts.
“For example, our solutions empower C2, fueled by intelligent data, to create and close joint effect webs at machine-to-machine speeds.”
Twyman underscored that the focus has been upon shaping what he labelled “a mission chain strategy.”
“We have acquired and will continue to do so capabilities to address the entire subset of tools necessary to deliver mission chain solutions.”
Here he is referring to being able to integrate core computational, C2, ISR and other services necessary to deliver entire solutions to the military customer.
Twyman characterized the future fight as one which the combat force needs a core capability to maneuver in the communications spectrum and to have an ability to discover and share ISR and C2 information in interactive kill webs.
“The challenge is to get that relevant ISR and C2 data to where you need it and at the time you need it.”
He highlighted as well the importance of being able to work in both the commercial as well as military domains because increasingly the military is a user group, and less the definer of what the cutting-edge technology is going to be.
A key case in point is 5G.
Clearly, 5G is a significant commercial technology which will affect military networks and redefine them. Cubic is working in both the commercial and military space which Twyman thinks is critical given how significant the commercial impact of 5G has on 21st century societies.
Commercial 5G operating through millimeter wave bands will generate more bandwidth and more freedom of spectrum maneuver. It will allow for the flow through of more data at lower latencies; and there will be greater capability to protect the information being sent.
Obviously, such capabilities are both relevant and affect military communications; more as a user group than as the core definer of 5G systems themselves.
This is clearly similar to what is happening with regard to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and decision-making aids; whereby commercial sectors are and will far outspend what the military sector will do; and it will be about leveraging commercial technologies as a user group for the military in this sector as well.
Twyman believes that the future fight will require empowering warfighters at the edge with precise access to data and shared battlespace awareness to speed decision cycles. There is enhanced computational power and services at the edge which can support more timely decisions across the warfighting domains.
He also believes that the U.S. and allied militaries are looking for non-stove piped C2 capabilities as well. He underscored that is why Cubic has built a protected wave form and made it available for the U.S. government to use as a basic standard.
“We are focused on continually innovating and seeking to deliver best-value to the government, rather than locking the government into proprietary wave forms that make stove piping inevitable.”
Twyman argued that the internet of things was a key driver as well for new C2 and ISR solutions.
And as nations seek to build trusted supply chains and shape new approaches to domestic manufacturing, being able to manage the internet of things will be enhanced in importance going ahead as well.
Cubic Mission Solutions is focused on the evolution of commercial and military space, notably in the LEO constellation world. Here they are working with a number of commercial satellite providers with regard to Cubic’s phased array communications antennas on satellites.
They are focused as well on evolving payloads and they have their own UAV as a flying battle lab to work on relevant payloads which fight into their concept of C2 decision making at the edge and kill web connectivity.
Twyman underscored that with C2 at the tactical edge becoming so critical, they are focused on ways to move away from traditional cloud-based computing to solutions which enable all warfighters at the edge to get the ISR they need at the point of attack or defense.
“We are focused on building resilient content dissemination strategies which can allow the warfighter at the edge to gain access to quality information at the relevant time.”
In short, Twyman laid out a vision and practical solutions to shaping a way ahead for the evolving infrastructure for the C2/ISR enabled integrated distributed force.
Editor’s Note: According to Cubic Mission Solutions, this is how the sector has been built over the past few years.
Cubic Datalinks (the legacy Cubic group) was the starting piece.
Cubic was a niche player in the CDL and Personnel Locator System market.
Then the sector was built with these acquisitions:
Protected Comms & ISR (air, land, sea, cyber and space)
Rugged Internet of Things
Digital Intelligence (C2ISR)
Cubic Mission Solutions Evolution:
In his CMS role, Twyman oversees the C4ISR businesses and strategy, including DTECH Labs, GATR Technologies, TeraLogics, XD Solutions and Cubic’s Communications & Electronics offerings.
Twyman joined Cubic in June 2014 as senior vice president of air training and secure communications, and served most recently as executive vice president, training and communications systems.
In this role, he led the development of Cubic’s C4ISR strategy as well as growth strategies for air training and secure communications, including common datalink, avionics, communication products, restricted communications and optical solutions.
Prior to Cubic, Twyman held a variety of executive leadership positions spanning more than 30 years at Northrop Grumman including sector vice president and general manager of the defense systems division, vice president of integrated C3I systems, vice president of joint network systems and vice president of communication and information systems.
Twyman graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mechanics. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from George Mason University.
https://www.cubic.com/about/people/michael-twyman
More than 150 Royal Australian Air Force personnel have travelled to the United States’ Anderson Air Force Base in Guam to participate in the Regional Presence Deployment from July 21 – August 2.
Along with strike and surveillance aircraft, the air task unit is part of a series of routine operations in South-East Asia announced by Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in early July, to strengthen longstanding security partnerships in the region.
These relationships are based on mutual respect, trust and a shared vision for a secure, open, prosperous and resilient Indo-Pacific.
The deployment will encompass a wide range of activities, including bilateral and multilateral naval manoeuvres, as well as the capacity to contribute to regional contingencies and humanitarian assistance missions that may arise.
Air task unit Commander, Wing Commander Jason Easthope, said interoperability with international partners and maritime integration were key training objectives in Guam.
“Training serials will include a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail working alongside the Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart to generate the overall air and sea picture,” Wing Commander Easthope said.
“Valuable raise, train and sustain exercises will also be conducted by our F/A-18A Classic Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and KC-30A multi-role tanker transport.”
The RAAF personnel deployed are primarily from RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland and RAAF Base Williamtown in NSW, and include medical and communications professionals, as well as security forces.
This article was published by the Australian Department of Defence on July 24, 2020.
Soldiers with the 41st Field Artillery Brigade ignited a field training exercise.
This exercise involved the Multiple Launch Rocket System.
GERMANY
05.08.2020
Video by Pfc. Kylee Bowling
AFN Bavaria
By Robbin Laird
As I suggested in the lead article in this series on how to evaluate platform choices in the context of evolving needs and concepts of operations, too often, a simple platform versus platform presentation is made which confuses rather than clarifies what the tactical and strategic implications of that particular platform choice might be.
Germany is facing a number of such platform choices, and in the second article in the series, I addressed the face-off between the CH-53k and the Chinook and what this choice means for the evolution of the German armed forces.
I concluded in that article: The FCAS enabled part is also crucial for Germany.
The FCAS approach is forward leaning and ultimately rests on shaping the networks which enable an integratable force.
It is not about simply building a replacement combat aircraft; it is about building out a system of networks which can able an integratable force to work effectively together. Simply buying legacy systems and leaving networked capabilities to show up in a future FCAS really misses the point; integratability has to be built in which it clearly is with the CH-53K.
It is a down payment on building out the kind of networked force Germany has committed itself too with its FCAS commitment.
Put in other terms, platform choices should be considered as well from the vantage point of whether or not that platform choice advances the integratable force able to move rapidly to the point of attack or defense or not.
From this standpoint the choice is clear:
The Chinook represents the Cold War past; the CH-53K the future of the integratable force.
With the shaping of a new force structure within the context of the current and projected security context for Germany, it makes sense that each new platform or program be made with regard to where Germany is headed in terms of its 21st century strategic situation, and not be limited by the thinking of the inner-German defense period.
In the next part of the series, I will begin an assessment of a more difficult platform comparison to make because it really is a system versus a system built around a platform.
And I will do so in a series of articles which will examine different aspects how these two choices might be compared in terms of their contributions and implications to shaping Germany strategy and capabilities for Germany and the defense of its interests.
On the one hand, the Germany military has focused on the importance of developing and deploying a remotely piloted solution to provide for its national signals intelligence needs. After terminating the Euro Hawk program, Germany’s Chief of Defense (CHOD), General Wieker, signed the Auswahlentscheidung (AWE) program on 6 Mar 17 for Triton as the “preferred solution” for Germany’s Airborne SIGINT mission.
Three MQ-4D PEGASUS air vehicles were envisaged to provide capability across the full range of German military missions – including strategic SIGINT, Indications & Warning, peacetime surveillance, and crisis management for sovereign or NATO operations.
The prime contractor for this program is Northrop Grumman, which has delivered Triton to the US Navy and has worked with Airbus to deliver a German sovereign set of payloads for the Pegasus which stands for Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System.
The two companies worked together on a feasibility study which concluded that the Airbus ISIS 2.0 payload is fully compatible with Triton and was fully mission integration capable with the Triton air vehicle.
The objective of the Pegasus program is to deliver situational awareness to allow Germany to tailor military and diplomatic responses during peacetime and crisis. PEGASUS is unarmed and would provide the strategic component of Germany’s and NATO’s SIGINT capability roadmap
Based on a 2017 request, the US Government offered a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) in August 2018 for a foreign military sales procurement. After one extension, the current LOA expired in late 2019, requiring MOD to update the LOR for a restated offer in 2020 which they have not done to date.
On the other hand, Germany is pursuing a manned special mission aircraft solution as an alternative to Pegasus.
This approach would be based on buying a fleet of Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft operating as a mission systems aircraft. The focus of the mission systems would be upon signals intelligence purposes.
These are very different options with radically different implications for Germany’s capabilities and their approach their direct defense and how they will operate in support of allies.
What little exists in the open literature has focused solely on platform costs as a differentiator, but without considering operations costs, coverage or implications for the FCAS rework underway for Germany’s approach to force integration.
It is that comparison which I will focus on in the next articles comparing Pegasus to Global 6000.
The featured photo: Credit
aufklaerungssystem-pegasus-mit-global-6000
Also, see the following:
By Robbin Laird
Recently, the Marines tested their new forward base refueling system with the CH-53K.
The two together provide new capabilities for forward refueling points or for expeditionary basing.
According to the Marines:
Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, employ a tactical aviation ground refueling system (TAGRS) while conducting expeditionary advanced base operations in support of a CH-53K King Stallion training evolution at a forward arming refueling point at Yuma Proving Grounds Range, Ariz., July 15, 2020.
The King Stallion is the most powerful aircraft in the Department of Defense, providing unmatched heavy-lift capability to the Marine Corps.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jaime Reyes)
In an interview earlier this summer with a senior MAWTS-1 officer, we discussed the coming of TAGRS and of the CH-53K to the Marine Corps and how these new capabilities would allow for enhanced FARP capabilities and expeditionary basing support.
In that interview with Maj Steve Bancroft, Aviation Ground Support (AGS) Department Head, MAWTS-1, MCAS Yuma, we discussed the way ahead on FARPs enabled by TAGR and CH-53Ks.
Excerpts from that interview follow:
There were a number of takeaways from that conversation which provide an understanding of the Marines are working their way ahead currently with regard to the FARP contribution to distributed operations.
The first takeaway is that when one is referring to a FARP, it is about an ability to provide a node which can refuel and rearm aircraft.
But it is more than that. It is about providing capability for crew rest, resupply and repair to some extent.
The second takeway is that the concept remains the same but the tools to do the concept are changing.
Clearly, one example is the nature of the fuel containers being used. In the land wars, the basic fuel supply was being carried by a fuel truck to the FARP location. Obviously, that is not a solution for Pacific operations.
What is being worked now at MAWTS-1 is a much mobile solution set.
Currently, they are working with a system whose provenance goes back to the 1950s and is a helicopter expeditionary refueling system or HERS system.
This legacy kit limits mobility as it is very heavy and requires the use of several hoses and fuel separators.
Obviously, this solution is too limiting so they are working a new solution set.
They are testing a mobile refueling asset called TAGRS or a Tactical Aviation Ground Refueling system.
As noted in the discussion of TAGRS at the end of this article: “The TAGRS and its operators are capable of being air-inserted making the asset expeditionary.
“It effectively eliminates the complications of embarkation and transportation of gear to the landing zone.”
The third takeaway was that even with a more mobile and agile pumping solution, there remains the basic challenge of the weight of fuel as a commodity.
A gallon of gas is about 6.7 pounds and when aggregating enough fuel at a FARP, the challenge is how to get adequate supplies to a FARP for its mission to be successful.
To speed up the process, the Marines are experimenting with more disposable supply containers to provide for enhanced speed of movement among FARPs within an extended battlespace.
They have used helos and KC-130Js to drop pallets of fuel as one solution to this problem.
The effort to speed up the creation and withdrawal from FARPs is a task being worked by the Marines at MAWTS-1 as well.
In effect, they are working a more disciplined cycle of arrival and departure from FARPs.
And the Marines are exercising ways to bring in a FARP support team in a single aircraft to further the logistical footprint and to provide for more rapid engagement and disengagement as well.
The fourth takeaway is that innovative delivery solutions can be worked going forward.
When I met with Col. Perrin at Pax River, we discussed how the CH-53K as a smart aircraft could manage airborne MULES to support resupply to a mobile base.
As Col. Perrin noted in our conversation: “The USMC has done many studies of distributed operations and throughout the analyses it is clear that heavy lift is an essential piece of the ability to do such operations.”
And not just any heavy lift – but heavy lift built around a digital architecture.
Clearly, the CH-53E being more than 30 years old is not built in such a manner; but the CH-53K is.
What this means is that the CH-53K “can operate and fight on the digital battlefield.”
And because the flight crew are enabled by the digital systems onboard, they can focus on the mission rather than focusing primarily on the mechanics of flying the aircraft. This will be crucial as the Marines shift to using unmanned systems more broadly than they do now.
For example, it is clearly a conceivable future that CH-53Ks would be flying a heavy lift operation with unmanned “mules” accompanying them. Such manned-unmanned teaming requires a lot of digital capability and bandwidth, a capability built into the CH-53K.
If one envisages the operational environment in distributed terms, this means that various types of sea bases, ranging from large deck carriers to various types of Maritime Sealift Command ships, along with expeditionary bases, or FARPs or FOBS, will need to be connected into a combined combat force.
To establish expeditionary bases, it is crucial to be able to set them up, operate and to leave such a base rapidly or in an expeditionary manner (sorry for the pun).
This will be virtually impossible to do without heavy lift, and vertical heavy lift, specifically.
Put in other terms, the new strategic environment requires new operating concepts; and in those operating concepts, the CH-53K provides significant requisite capabilities.
So why not the possibility of the CH-53K flying in with a couple of MULES which carried fuel containers; or perhaps building a vehicle which could come off of the cargo area of the CH-53K and move on the operational area and be linked up with TAGRS?
I am not holding Maj. Bancroft responsible for this idea, but the broader point is that if distributed FARPs are an important contribution to the joint and coalition forces, then it will certainly be the case that “autonomous” systems will play a role in the evolution of the concept and provide some of those new tools which Maj. Bancroft highlighted.
U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Branch Video made by Judy Oman.
FORT SILL, OK, UNITED STATES
06.24.2020
Video by Donald Herrick
U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School
Two crews competed in a morning and afternoon session to see who could load an AIM-9 on each side of the aircraft the fastest and with the fewest mistakes.
This was the quarterly weapons load competition held Aug. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Photos credit: Eglin AFB, August 17, 2020
