The U.S. Army is looking to develop a tactical network to streamline integration operations between air and ground units during combat, C4ISRNET reported Sunday.
Maj. Gen. Brian Winski, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, told attendees at forum with industry in Nashville, Tenn. that the Army component must be able to communicate effectively over great distances and “violently and decisively exploit developing opportunities on the battlefield.†Other capabilities the network must include are the ability to link intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and the capacity to launch kinetic and electronic fires over the horizon.Â
Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, the Army’s network cross-functional team director, added that the service intends to deploy beyond-line-of sight satellite communications technology or alternative capabilities such as low-Earth orbit satellites to support “assured network transport in a contested environment”.
Aside from the tactical network, the Army also wants to field future vertical lift aircraft designed to collaborate with unmanned systems.
