US Army Exercises Make Extensive Use of NGC Systems

A number of C4ISR systems designed and built by Northrop Grumman were given an extensive workout during a series of exercises conducted by the US Army as part of its AI, machine-learning and joint C2 programme, Project Convergence.

Project Convergence 21 tested a range of sensor-to-sensor battle management and C2 capabilities across seven scenarios. These included live-fire exercises, in which surrogates for tactical ballistic missiles were launched, while ground, airborne and space-based sensors tracked them and relayed data over a satcom network to a remote operations centre. From that centre, soldiers tracked the targets and initiated launch of missiles to engage them.

Northrop Grumman systems involved in the exercise included the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) and the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS), both used by the US Army; and the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), a US Marine Corps capability. The company says that the event “demonstrated Northrop Grumman’s architectural capability to integrate networks, sensors and effectors across domains for joint operations.”

IBCS was also used in support of precision strike missions during other elements of Project Convergence 21. In these exercises, the system fused data from sensors on board an F-35 fighter and used that information to identify and track a ground target. Those data were passed to an Army artillery tactical data system, and were used to engage the target.

“Project Convergence provided us another opportunity to demonstrate our architecture’s ability to deliver joint connectivity across the services,” said Christine Harbison, Northrop Grumman VP/GM for combat systems and mission readiness. “That open architecture allows utilization of satellite communications to conduct remote engagements of target missiles, demonstrating our ability to connect the battlespace for all-domain operations.”