CCDC’S ROAD MAP TO MODERNIZING THE ARMY: AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE


TIP OF THE BLADE


Ballistic Low Altitude Drone Engagement, or BLADE, prototypes are mounted on trucks during an engineering test in June at Fort Dix, New Jersey. BLADE is integrated with an armament system to shoot down smaller unmanned aerial systems at close ranges. The test proved that the BLADE system can hit them with only a short burst of fire. (Photo by Marian Popescu, CCDC Armaments Center BLADE team)


research and engineering and by working with industry to leverage emerging tech- nology that can be adapted for military use. We also collaborate with academic partners, as well as other government agencies, the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), program executive offices and Soldiers to develop and demonstrate technology to make it available as quickly as possible.


This strategy is integrated into the


U.S. Army Futures Command’s (AFC) modernization effort, which is ensuring that Soldiers are ready and armed with the latest technology. As part of the AFC, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Develop- ment Command (CCDC) supports the effort by helping to shape future concepts and by synchronizing and integrating science and technology across the future force modernization enterprise.


Our priorities and investments are driven by guidance and directives defined by the secretary of the Army, the chief of staff of the Army and our higher headquarters,


72 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2019


AFC. Weekly communication with Gen. John M. Murray, AFC commander, provides an opportunity to highlight key events and technology developments across the CCDC enterprise, ensuring that we are aligned to support the Army’s No. 1 priority—readiness.


We work closely with the cross-functional teams by providing a lead person and experts who support each modernization priority. Monthly modernization priority update meetings give representatives from the cross-functional teams an opportunity to share information about their work. While each cross-functional team drives modernization for its respective area, all of the teams work with the science and technology (S&T) community so that their efforts are positioned to transition into programs of record in program exec- utive offices.


Te CCDC air and missile defense S&T portfolio is focused on key projects that support the Army’s strategy. While the CCDC Aviation & Missile Center is


leading the effort across the Army air and missile defense modernization prior- ity, other CCDC centers round out the team; these include Armaments; Army Research Laboratory (ARL); the Data and Analysis Center; and Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnais- sance (C5ISR), along with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.


Te team also leverages investments and maintains close contacts with the other services, the Missile Defense Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Proj- ects Agency and others. While CCDC is responsible for most of the S&T fund- ing in the air and missile defense portfolio, these partners have been key in identify- ing joint opportunities for air and missile defense modernization and interoperabil- ity improvements.


A critical part of the Army’s strategy involves moving away from stovepiped


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