RTX tests new battle management concept at Valiant Shield

Capability demonstrated support for the U.S. Army's Mission Command On-The-Move concept

ARLINGTON, VA. (July 9, 2024) — Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, successfully demonstrated mobile, distributed command and control during a series of fires, networking and mission command experiments at INDOPACOM's Valiant Shield exercise.

Collins partnered with the U.S. Army's 1st Multi-Domain Task Force to conduct the experiments—inside a ground vehicle—to rapidly reconfigure and deploy capabilities based on evolving mission needs. The mission command 'on-the-move' concept uses commercial and military communications networks to provide access to multiple intelligence sources. To 'make sense' of the data from various sources, the company used an AI/ML battle management software. This created fused situational awareness that can be shared with bilateral and joint force partners.

"Mobile command and control capabilities give battle management operators and commanders the ability to replicate fixed site capabilities at the very edge of the fight," said Elaine Bitonti, vice president and general manager, Connected Battlespace & Emerging Capabilities for Collins Aerospace. "Our agile, distributed demonstration concept provides the Army with the ability to maintain Mission Command On-the-Move." 

In addition to Collins’ experiments, RTX’s BBN Technologies successfully demonstrated its Distributed Provisioning and Enterprise Replication Services on Edge Devices (DISPERSED) middleware technology in the Valiant Shield warm start exercise under the banner of the Air Force Research Lab’s Rapidly Distributed Air Operations Center program. DISPERSED reduces the overhead and latency associated with Continuity of Operations (COOP) for existing Air C2 processes. Valiant Shield proved that DISPERSED is a key enabler for Agile Combat Employment (ACE)—the ability to continue mission operations in dynamic contested environments.

Valiant Shield is a biennial field training that builds real-world proficiency in sustaining U.S. forces through detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas.

About Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is a leader in integrated and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Our 80,000 employees are dedicated to delivering future-focused technologies to advance sustainable and connected aviation, passenger safety and comfort, mission success, space exploration, and more.

About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $69 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

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SOURCE RTX