Northrop Grumman Delivers First Full Set of Integrated Battle Command System Equipment to the U.S. Army
IBCS (Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System) • Missile Defense June 17, 2024
Northrop Grumman Corporation delivered the first production Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) Engagement Operations Center (EOC) and Integrated Fire Control Network (IFCN) Relay to the U.S. Army. The delivery of this equipment, coupled with the Integrated Collaborative Environment (ICE) delivered in December 2023, completes the first full set of IBCS delivered under the low-rate initial production (LRIP) award.
A complete IBCS set allows the Army to conduct the necessary training to deploy IBCS’ ready now, cutting-edge command and control system powering unprecedented multi-domain integration.
The EOC hosts the battle management software, communications, and computing power, enabling IBCS operators to plan and fight the battle.
The IFCN Relay forms the IBCS communications network and serves as the interface for sensors and weapons integrated into IBCS.
The U.S. Army awarded Northrop Grumman a full-rate production (FRP) contract for IBCS in May. The fiscal year 2024 FRP award of $145 million will support the production and deployment of IBCS’ revolutionary command and control capabilities to support U.S. warfighters.
Northrop Grumman Delivers First Full Set of Integrated Battle Command System Equipment to the U.S. Army
The Engagement Operations Center (EOC) loaded onto an M1085 Long Wheel Base truck at the Huntsville Manufacturing Center in Alabama. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)
Expert:
Rebecca Torzone, vice president and general manager, combat systems and mission readiness, Northrop Grumman: “IBCS is ready now to provide our warfighters more decision time in the battlespace to outpace tomorrow’s threats. Northrop Grumman is committed to putting IBCS in the hands of our warfighters at an accelerated delivery rate so they can lead the way in modernized air and missile defense.”
Details on IBCS:
The EOC and IFCN Relay deliveries follow the initial December 2023 delivery of the ICE to the Army, of which the Army has accepted 13. This first complete set of equipment will support initial activities leading to the IBCS Full Operational Test and Evaluation in 2025.
The recently issued Full Rate Production contract award for IBCS is a critical milestone. It reflects successful IBCS performance at numerous air and missile defense test events, integrating Patriot, Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense, Indirect Fire Protection Capability, and other sensors and effectors. It also reflects Northrop Grumman’s successful delivery of LRIP systems to the U.S. Army.
IBCS is a revolutionary command and control system unifying current and future assets in the battlespace, regardless of source, service, or domain. Through its modular, open, and scalable architecture, IBCS gives warfighters capabilities not previously available by fusing sensor data for a single actionable picture of the full battlespace, enabling rapid, informed decisions to optimize shooters. This capability gives warfighters more time to decide how best to defeat threats. IBCS is the centerpiece of the U.S. Army’s air and missile defense modernization strategy, and it is currently fielded in Poland. IBCS is a foundational element for the multi-domain, multi-national future.