Breaking Defense
For the first time, four combatant commands are linking up to share real-time data during a homeland defense exercise designed to stop an enemy aircraft breaking into US airspace. The drill, which kicked off this week, marks an early test of the Pentagon’s emerging effort to quickly share data and operate against advanced threats across sea and air domains.
The May 28-31 exercise taking place off the US East Coast is being run by Northern Command and involves Space, Transportation and Strategic commands, along with the Navy’s 2nd Fleet.
At the center of the exercise is a B-1B attempting to punch into US airspace, while Canadian CF-18s and US F-15s, fueled by KC-135 Stratotankers, run an air intercept exercise in conjunction with F/A-18 fighters from the USS Harry S Truman.
All participants will use Link 16, a tactical data system which allows parties to share real-time command and control data, to stitch together the disparate elements at air and sea.
“Leading complex multi-combatant command operations across multiple domains demonstrates our readiness to defend our homeland,” Northcom commander Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, said in a statement.
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