Arthur McMiler
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command demonstrated its Joint Fires Network in the recent Valiant Shield 2024 exercise, which for the first time was a multilateral event wherein Canadian, Japanese and French allies interacted with U.S. military forces.
SAIC, the network’s lead integrator, said Thursday that JFN validated in the exercise the Department of Defense’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept on rapid digital connection of its armed units, combat commands and allies.
The U.S. joint force in Valiant Shield 2024, which was held from June 7 to 18, consisted of the carrier strike groups of USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Ronald Reagan, as well as U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Army elements.
JFN linked the joint force’s units along with participants from the Royal Canadian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and French Navy in the exercise conducted in the South China Sea and Philippine Sea.
JFN enabled data-sharing in real time for all the units in the exercise for closely coordinated decision-making in mock battle maneuvers, SAIC said.
The company added that the network and other emerging CJADC2 platforms will merge, classify and deliver battlefield data over one network to achieve a tactical C2 edge in various combat domains.
To develop the JFN, SAIC collaborated for two years with DOD partners and third parties.
