Congress cuts in half an Air Force battle management system with data links to join sensors and shooters
WASHINGTON – Cuts to the U.S. Air Force Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) program, the centerpiece of linking sensors to shooters, mean that the service only will be able to conduct two technology demonstrations this year, the Air Force’s chief architect says. Defense News reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
31 March 2021 -- Congress has cut the Air Force 2021 ABMS budget in half, allocating $159 million of the Air Force’s $302 million request. As a result, the Air Force experts will have fewer opportunities to test off-the-shelf networking and data links to connect sensors and shooters.
ABMS is the Air Force’s piece of the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept, which seeks to link all of the military’s aircraft, sensors, and other weapons. Originally envisioned as a replacement for Air Force platforms, such as the E-8C JSTARS ground surveillance plane, the program has evolved into an Internet of Things for the military.
During the most recent ABMS battle management demonstration, the service tested computers and communications to ease sharing data across platforms that today work independently.
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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
