Scott Air Force Base, Ill —
Building upon a concept tested in last summer’s Mobility Guardian 2023 and the first iteration of Bamboo Eagle earlier this year, AMC further tested and advanced its Maneuver Battle Management capabilities during Exercise Bamboo Eagle (24-3), which executed over the Easten Pacific Ocean and across the Western United States, Aug. 5-9, 2024.
“The Maneuver Battle Management system serves as a relay and provider of information,” said Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander. “A better-connected fleet—between ground crews, other aircraft, and AMC’s Air Operations Center—is crucial to integration with the joint force and allies in the future.”
During the exercise, teams were able to test and field mission systems showcasing AMC’s advancement toward achieving robust connectivity across the fleet, the command’s number one priority informed by the lessons learned from Mobility Guardian 2023.
Dubbed 25×25, the command initiative seeks to connect 25 percent of the mobility fleet by 2025 to have the ability to effectively communicate in pursuit of global command and control, which, according to Minihan, will “increase the survivability, agility, resiliency, and lethality of AMC warfighting capabilities.”
The KC-46 had outsized influence on maneuver battle management and the exercise overall.
“The BE 24-3 team conducting KC-46 operations far exceeded expectations,” said Col Jeremy “Grimm” Gould, Future Operations and Sensitive Activities division chief at Air Mobility Command. “The leadership exhibited by maintenance, support, and operations personnel directly contributed to enhanced tactics, techniques, and procedures to better execute maneuver battle management with the successful use of several non-standard communication capabilities and reinforced that people executing and leading the mission at the squadron level are the foundations to success in high intensity, high risk environments.”
KC-46 aircrew experimented with Executive Communication Kits (ECKs) allowing crew members to turn a satellite communication (SATCOM) connection into NIPR and SIPR connections. Additionally, through an external antenna, crew members tested voice over secret internet protocol (VOSIP) communications access.
To further test connectivity, aircrew tested new C-130 capabilities, including an experimental Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) and Line-of-Sight (LOS) tactical datalink integration hatch.
The hatch increases joint force interoperability and allows Mission System Operators and other specialists to more effectively command and control the mission and battle space.
“It knocks two birds out with one stone: it gives us Beyond Line-of-Sight capability and additional Line-of-Sight function in one component quickly, and at a reduced cost,” said Mark Smith, Tactical Data Link and Global Secure Comms Branch deputy chief at AMC. “We can utilize it to expand the equipment inventory the aircraft can carry which ultimately increases critical capability in the era of Great Power Competition.”
The self-contained Roll On/Roll Off Hatch terminal was installed aboard a C-130 escape hatch and provided high-throughput connectivity with an automated primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency communication plan. This capability enabled airborne C2 and situational awareness during missions to help support rapid deployment, dynamic re-tasking, and increased maneuverability of joint forces. “This exercise allowed us to field test non-traditional connectivity strategies with MAF aircraft, helping us learn how to counter contested-environment adversary tactics” said Master Sgt. Kyle Bone, Mission System Operator Program command manager. “By reutilizing experts like Mission System Operators (MSO) into AMC using off-the-shelf system solutions, we can better support C2 operations, keeping assets connected and protected.”
The ability to share real-time data in the air and on the ground increases the lethality and survivability of Mobility Air Force’s assets and Joint Forces when faced with the tyranny of distance required in ACE operations, said Bone.
“[MSOs] can relay data relating to logistics or mission impacts via these Beyond Line-of-Sight Tactical Data Link communication tools,” Bone stated. “In so doing, we give our fellow warfighters options on how to best utilize assets at their disposal, which also enables our joint and coalition partners to be more effective.
