International Defense Security & Technology Your trusted Source for News, Research and Analysis
Related Articles
The U.S. Air Force’s Cloud-Based Command and Control (CBC2) capability marks a significant leap in the military’s effort to modernize its command and control systems. As a pivotal component of the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), CBC2 also represents the service’s commitment to the Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative. By integrating cutting-edge cloud technology, CBC2 is poised to enhance operational readiness, decision-making speed, and multi-domain collaboration on a global scale.
A Unified Global View of Air Defense
Historically, air defense relied on segmented systems where each sector operated with its own radars, networks, and localized data views. This fragmentation created challenges in integrating information for a cohesive picture of the battlespace. CBC2 eliminates these silos by connecting air defense sectors through a cloud-based network, providing decision-makers with a comprehensive, real-time view of inputs across all sectors.
CBC2 is designed to merge more than 750 radar feeds into a single user interface, creating a “global view” of air defense that allows operators to visualize all incoming data across various air defense sectors. The integration of multiple critical data streams will enable the generation of machine-driven courses of action, streamlining decision-making processes and accelerating the kill chain.
“This capability brings all the air defense sector inputs into a single global perspective,” says Joe Sublousky, Vice President of SAIC’s JADC2 operations. “For the first time, operators can access and analyze synchronized data from diverse radars and sensors worldwide, empowering them to make faster, more informed decisions.”
This functionality is part of the Air Force’s push to build a faster, more adaptable warfighting capability as part of the larger JADC2 framework. This framework aims to enhance coordination between sensors, shooters, and military forces across the U.S. and its international partners, ensuring that decisions are made more swiftly and that forces can be deployed more effectively.
JADC2: The Need for Cloud-Based CBC2
The Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative represents the Department of Defense’s (DoD) strategic vision for a unified, multi-domain approach to modern warfare. By integrating capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, JADC2 aims to enable seamless communication, rapid decision-making, and synchronized action among all branches of the military. At the heart of JADC2’s success lies the requirement for robust, scalable, and adaptable systems—key attributes provided by cloud-based solutions like the Cloud-Based Command and Control (CBC2) capability.
JADC2 integrates data from a wide range of sensors, platforms, and sources, from satellites and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to ground forces and cyber networks. By fusing this data into a coherent, actionable picture, commanders gain a comprehensive view of the battlespace. The use of AI and ML algorithms helps prioritize critical information, identify patterns, and even predict future threats, enhancing situational awareness.
Cloud technology plays a critical role in fulfilling JADC2’s goals by addressing the challenges posed by traditional siloed systems. Legacy command and control infrastructures, often limited by localized data processing and rigid architectures, cannot keep pace with the speed, scale, and complexity of modern conflicts. In contrast, CBC2’s cloud-based architecture allows for global data sharing, dynamic updates, and real-time integration of information from multiple domains and platforms. A cloud-enabled data-sharing infrastructure forms the backbone of JADC2, integrating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data across multiple networks. This ensures seamless connectivity and facilitates faster, more informed decision-making across domains.
Key Benefits of Cloud-Based Command and Control (CBC2)
While traditional command and control systems have served the military well, they are increasingly inadequate for the demands of modern, multi-domain warfare. Legacy systems are often siloed, inflexible, and slow, hindering the ability of military commanders to make rapid, data-driven decisions. Cloud-based Command and Control (CBC2) addresses these limitations by offering scalable, real-time, and integrated solutions that provide a unified operational picture across all domains.
One of the most notable benefits of CBC2 is enhanced situational awareness. By integrating data from various defense sectors—air, land, sea, and space—into a unified cloud platform, CBC2 provides a comprehensive and real-time view of the battlespace. This holistic perspective enables commanders to quickly assess the operational environment, detect threats, and make well-informed decisions, which is crucial in high-pressure situations where every second counts.
Moreover, CBC2 dramatically improves decision-making. The platform leverages advanced cloud computing and analytics capabilities to process vast amounts of data in real-time. This accelerates the decision-making cycle by providing commanders with actionable insights much faster than traditional systems, which often suffer from slow data processing and siloed information. The result is the ability to respond to emerging threats or opportunities with agility, ensuring that military forces can act decisively and effectively in dynamic and fast-evolving combat scenarios.
Another key benefit of CBC2 is its increased flexibility. Built on a modular microservices architecture, CBC2 allows for rapid updates and seamless integration of new technologies as they emerge. This modular design not only ensures the system remains future-proof but also enables the military to quickly adapt to changing operational needs or technological advancements. Whether it’s incorporating the latest AI algorithms for enhanced data analysis or adding new sensor platforms for greater situational awareness, CBC2’s architecture provides the flexibility to evolve with the demands of modern warfare.
Finally, CBC2 fosters global collaboration across multiple domains. With cloud-based infrastructure, operators from different branches—air, land, sea, and space—can access synchronized data in real time. This creates a cohesive, joint-operational environment where forces can work together more seamlessly. Such collaboration enhances coordination and strengthens multi-domain operations, allowing military units to act as a unified force rather than separate entities. This interconnectedness is essential in modern warfare, where the success of operations often hinges on the ability of diverse forces to communicate, share information, and act in concert.
In summary, CBC2 delivers crucial benefits that empower military forces to maintain operational superiority. From enhanced situational awareness to accelerated decision-making, increased flexibility, and improved global collaboration, CBC2 provides the foundational capabilities needed to succeed in today’s complex and rapidly evolving battlefields.
The Security Impact of Cloud-Based Command and Control
Cloud-based Command and Control (CBC2) systems, such as those deployed in the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), offer immense benefits in terms of real-time data sharing and decision-making. However, the shift from traditional, on-premise systems to cloud infrastructure introduces a range of new security challenges that must be carefully managed to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of military operations. With critical data being processed and stored on cloud-based platforms, safeguarding this information against evolving cyber threats becomes paramount.
Data Security and Encryption is one of the most significant concerns in CBC2. Cloud-based systems rely on external data centers for storing and processing sensitive military information, which can expose them to cyber threats such as hacking, data breaches, and denial-of-service attacks. To mitigate these risks, CBC2 must implement robust encryption mechanisms both in transit and at rest. This ensures that all communication and data exchanges are protected from unauthorized access, even if they are intercepted during transmission. Moreover, multi-layered security protocols, including advanced firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption, are essential in defending against ever-evolving cyber threats targeting the cloud infrastructure.
Access Control and Authentication is another critical security layer. Traditional Command and Control (C2) systems often operate in fixed, localized environments with clear perimeter defenses. In contrast, cloud-based solutions like CBC2 are dynamic, distributed systems, making them more susceptible to access-related vulnerabilities. To secure access, CBC2 systems need advanced identity and access management (IAM) protocols that ensure only authorized personnel can interact with sensitive data and resources. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) are essential to ensure that the right individuals have access to the right information at the right time, while minimizing the risk of insider threats or unauthorized access.
Data Integrity and Availability are also major concerns in CBC2 security. Traditional, isolated on-premise infrastructure can be physically secured, but the distributed nature of cloud-based systems introduces the risk of data corruption or downtime due to cyberattacks or system failures. For mission-critical operations, ensuring data integrity and availability is essential. CBC2 systems must incorporate redundancy, real-time backups, and failover mechanisms to guarantee uninterrupted access to operational data, even if a cyberattack compromises part of the cloud infrastructure. These measures help maintain operational continuity and ensure that the system remains functional during high-stakes situations.
Securing the Supply Chain is another vulnerability that cloud-based systems face. CBC2 relies on third-party providers for its cloud infrastructure, software, and services, which introduces potential risks if any of these external vendors experience security breaches. CBC2’s security strategy must, therefore, include stringent vetting of third-party vendors and continuous monitoring of their security practices. Additionally, real-time threat intelligence can help detect potential vulnerabilities in the supply chain before they are exploited by malicious actors. This holistic approach ensures the integrity of the entire cloud ecosystem, mitigating the risk posed by third-party vulnerabilities.
Finally, Adapting to Evolving Threats is essential for the ongoing security of CBC2 systems. Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, and cloud-based systems must be flexible enough to adapt to these new challenges. The cloud’s inherent flexibility allows for regular security updates and patches, as well as the integration of advanced security technologies such as AI-powered threat detection systems. These tools enable proactive identification of new attack vectors, ensuring that CBC2 systems remain resilient and capable of defending against emerging threats.
In summary, while CBC2 offers transformative capabilities for military operations, it also presents complex security challenges. A multi-faceted approach that includes encryption, access control, data integrity, supply chain security, and proactive threat adaptation is necessary to safeguard cloud-based systems and maintain the effectiveness of mission-critical operations. By addressing these challenges, CBC2 can fulfill its potential as a robust and secure solution for modern, integrated military command and control.
Data security, access control, system resilience, and supply chain security become critical considerations that must be carefully managed. To ensure the success of CBC2, the U.S. military must adopt advanced cybersecurity measures and continuously monitor and adapt to emerging threats.
Industry Partnership
One of the key reasons for CBC2’s success so far is the collaborative and iterative nature of its development process. Cropsey highlighted the importance of the teamwork between Northcom and his office, where each microservice of CBC2 is overseen by an operational expert from both organizations. This approach has fostered a continuous feedback loop that has ensured the system’s functionality is aligned with the needs of the end-users. Additionally, the Air Force’s contract strategy, which broke down the development of CBC2 into smaller, manageable microservices, has allowed for more efficient contracting and has enabled rapid integration of capabilities as they become available.
SAIC’s Role as the Prime Integrator
To deliver this groundbreaking capability, the Air Force awarded Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) a $112 million contract to serve as CBC2’s prime integrator and operator. SAIC’s expertise in cloud-based systems, combined with its deep involvement in JADC2 initiatives, makes the company a key player in ensuring the seamless integration and operation of CBC2.
In addition to SAIC’s oversight, the Air Force has contracted several companies to provide microservices tailored to specific needs, such as mapping, data analytics, and threat visualization. These modular services ensure CBC2 remains adaptable and scalable, capable of integrating new technologies and addressing evolving mission requirements.
Recent Advancements
This capability, which is slated to reach initial operating capability by the end of fiscal 2023, marks the beginning of a transformative shift in how the USAF and its partners manage air defense. The Air Force plans to deliver CBC2 to U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) across three distinct locations over the next two to three quarters of fiscal 2024, according to Brig. Gen. Luke Cropsey, program executive officer for command, control, communications, and battle management (C3BM). This delivery represents a critical phase in the Air Force’s broader Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) effort, which aligns with the Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative.
Though the exact locations for the initial deployment are not yet disclosed, Cropsey emphasized that CBC2’s first phase will focus primarily on the air defense mission. The initiative is expected to replace legacy command-and-control systems while integrating crucial data from multiple other sources, creating a more dynamic and interconnected platform for air defense operators. “I think part of the reason that the CBC2 team has been as successful as it has been over the last 15 months is because we actually did agile [development] as opposed to just talking about it,” Cropsey stated during an interview at the Air, Space, and Cyber conference. This emphasis on agile development has played a vital role in the success of CBC2, facilitating rapid iteration and real-time adaptation to operational needs.
Conclusion
The USAF’s transition to cloud-based Command and Control through the CBC2 system marks a significant milestone in the modernization of military operations. By leveraging cloud technology, CBC2 enhances situational awareness, improves decision-making, and facilitates global collaboration, creating a more agile and responsive defense system. However, as with any new technology, the implementation of CBC2 also introduces critical security challenges that must be addressed. By focusing on robust data security, access control, system integrity, and proactive threat adaptation, CBC2 can provide the USAF with the secure, reliable, and integrated platform needed to maintain operational superiority in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
References and Resources also include:
https://defensescoop.com/2023/09/21/northcom-norad-cloud-based-c2/
