Multiple threats may require multiple defensive system capabilities, but they can be handled. As recently flight tests by the U.S. Army and Northrop Grumman have shown, simultaneous missile threats can be tracked and engaged. Testing performed on the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) has shown that the system is fully capable of detecting, tracking, and simultaneously engaging multiple threats. The system includes Sentinel, Patriot, and Marine TPS-59 radars and Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) interceptor systems.
“Building on the success of the most recent flight tests this past August, today’s test demonstrates t6hat IBCS is achieving unprecedented performance in defeating multiple missile threats,” said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, missile defense and protective systems, Northrop Grumman. “Taking advantage of all available resources in the battlefield, IBCS enhances battlefield survivability by engaging 360-deg. sensor coverage and enables highest probability of defeat by ensuring the most effective weapon is used to intercept each threat.”
Testing was designed to emulate real-world events and was performed at the White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Workstations were operated by soldiers from the 30th Brigade 3rd Battalion 6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment. Systems included two battery IBCS engagement operations centers, a Patriot radar, two Sentinel radars, and two PAC-2 launchers. Also contributing to the test were a U.S. Marine Corps AN/TPS-59 joint radar connected to an external Link 16 network and F-35 fighter aircraft with sensors adapted to IBCS. The systems were connected to the IBCS Integrated Fire Control Network (IFCN).
Flight testing involved launching two cruise missile surrogate threats which flew in a maneuvering formation until neared their targets. They then split off into separate attacks. The IBCS fused data from different sensors and networks to track both threats simultaneously while it developed an engagement plan by which the soldiers launched two PAC-2 missiles to intercept both cruise missiles.
“Today’s successful flight test further demonstrates the maturity of the Integrated Battle Command System and its capabilities in support of Multi-Domain Operations,” said Major General Rob Rasch, Army program executive officer, Missiles and Space. “The inclusion of Marine Corps and Air Force sensor systems in the test architecture validate the system’s open architecture and the potential for IBCS to operate seamlessly with joint services, as well as foreign partners in the future, to extend battlespace and defeat complex threats.”