The U.S. Army and Textron are adding new computer processing power and cyber-hardening technology to the current inventory of ground control stations operating drones in combat, to better defend against enemy "hacking," "jamming" and "interference" with video feeds, service officials say. The Textron-built Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS), which currently operates the Army's Shadow and Grey Eagle drones, is being engineered with new performance-enhancing software to secure drone controls and drone video feeds from hacking, interference, and cyber-attacks. The upgrade, described as a software and hardware obsolescence project, will use an emerging Army software architecture called Future Airborne Capability Environment, or FACE. The re-architected software is designed to lower costs and accommodate new technologies and upgrades more efficiently - while strengthening cybersecurity. These semi-annual upgrades are part of a multipronged Army strategy to sustain and improve ground-control technology for drones now in combat as well as those planned for future years.
