US Army reveals next generation space-enabled targeting system

News, US November 14, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Army showcased the initial design and a working prototype for a next-generation space-enabled ground-based system that pulls targeting information from the military and commercial satellites. The newly designed system is a part of the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence exercise.

Project Convergence, led by the Army but supported by each of the military services, aims to demonstrate Joint All-Domain Command and Control. The United States Department of Defense aims to achieve a networked, connected, data-enabled joint force through Project Convergence.

Project Convergence exercise 2022 kicked off in October in the western U.S. and the Pacific and continues through this month. All factions of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy are taking part in the exercises to increase interconnectivity and interoperability.

The Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) is a mobile semi-autonomous pre-system that connects with commercial and military space assets to facilitate deep-sensing, reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines and maximize the effectiveness of long-range precision fires. This new capability fully integrates data from multiple assets into a single mobile system.

U.S.-based defense manufacturer Northrop Grumman has designed and developed the first prototype for TITAN. Vice President of the integrated national systems at Northrop Grumman Pablo Pezzimenti introduced the system by stating that “Our TITAN solution is a pioneering technology integrating critical space capabilities into a mobile system.”

Pezzimenti further added that “Our unique ability to provide access to multi-domain, actionable intelligence from commercial and military space systems directly contributes to success on the battlefield by helping the warfighter make quicker decisions when every second counts.”

The prototype capabilities are part of a larger TITAN program, a scalable and expeditionary intelligence ground station that will leverage space, high altitude, aerial, and terrestrial layer sensors to provide targetable data to commanders at all levels so they can quickly assess threats.

^{Northrop Grumman demonstrated and delivered the semi-autonomous, mobile TITAN pre-prototype system to the US Army and provided support during Project Convergence 2022. (Image Credit: Northrop Grumman)}

The system will also connect the joint force by providing near real-time intelligence using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to rapidly deliver fused data from multi-domain sensors to weapon platforms, such as artillery, jammers, and airborne systems.

After completion and deployment, the space unit would be managed by the U.S. Army’s Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities office and the Defense Innovation Unit. Northrop Grumman plans to build two versions of TITAN, advanced and basic, with the key difference being that the advanced will have the space kit installed. The advanced version will integrate with tactical trucks, like the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle fleet’s M1083, and the basic variant will be installed on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.