BAE Systems Demonstrates Combat Identification System at Eglin AFB
BAE Systems has demonstrated a new system that gives combat pilots a previously unavailable view of friendly forces on the battlefield and could significantly reduce “friendly fire” events during combat operations. The capability combines existing communications, combat identification, and target identification systems and gives pilots ready access to information about friendly forces in the area.
The Combat Identification (CID) System enables pilots to inquire about friendly forces within a specified area. To do so, the system queries several sources of ground situational awareness data and reports the five most-relevant results to the pilot in less than 10 seconds. The capability, intended for use by close-air-support aircraft such as F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s, CF-18s, and A-10s, was demonstrated at the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Exercise Bold Quest Plus at Eglin Air Force Base.
BAE Systems developed the capability in cooperation with the Joint Forces Command’s J85 Joint Fires Division to fill a gap in air-to-ground combat identification.
The CID server uses service-oriented architecture — a structure that packages functions as interoperable services — to create a flexible, adaptable, and affordable approach to combat identification. The architecture allows BAE Systems to combine existing communications systems such as Link 16 and surface-to-air data links, situational awareness systems such as the U.S. Army’s Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below, and combat identification systems such as radio-based combat identification and battlefield target identification devices into a single identification friend or foe capability.