Army accepts first air defense battery operations center

The Army has accepted delivery of the first mobile battery engagement operations center for integrated air and missile defense from Northrop Grumman Corp., company officials said Aug. 17.

The operations center when fully developed will enable an Army air defense battery to communicate with other Army and joint air and missile defense assets, the company said.

Related stories:

Army looks to sensors for faster fire support

Army gives battlefield networks high priority

The Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) consists of common hardware and software housed in a rigid wall shelter and mounted on a five-ton M1085 Medium Tactical Vehicle.

“The initial system will be used as a test bed to support IBCS critical design review and the IBCS software development and coding,” said Army Maj. Gen. Genaro Dellarocco, program executive officer, Missiles and Space, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. “This prototype will allow the warfighter to interact early and influence the design to ensure we provide them with this critical capability.”

Northrop Grumman received a contract worth up to $577 million over five years in December 2009 to develop a common battle command system for Army IAMD. The system, which has an integrated fire control network, will be distributed to air and missile defense units.

Among the systems slated to be integrated with the IBCS include: Patriot surface-to-air missile, Surface-Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor, and Improved Sentinel radar. Other systems under consideration for integration are the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and the Medium Extended Air Defense System.