Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review 2-5-16

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Hanscom AFB, Mass. remotely piloted, the Global Hawk

Block 20s.
A program managed at Hanscom According to program officials,
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¿JKWHUVFDQVWD\FRQQHFWHGGHVSLWHGLI- altitude relay, providing reliable, dy-
fering networks and austere environ- namic communication links. Its myriad
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milestone and is also on a path to keep YRLFHDQGWDFWLFDOGDWDQHWZRUNVGDWD
moving forward.
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The Battlefield Airborne Com- using various message standards and
munications Node (BACN) program V\VWHPVYRLFHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVLQ-
UHDFKHGFRPEDWÀLJKWKRXUV teroperability between disparate radio
Jan. 30. The system, which provides V\VWHPVDQGXQLILFDWLRQRIVHSDUDWH
coalition interoperability among air, TDNs into a seamless, larger network.
space and surface systems by for- The group operating the system in
warding and translating voice and theater realizes the benefits BACN
data across disparate networks, began provides.
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,QDORQHWKHV\VWHPÀHZRQ tending communications and enhanc-
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“For more than seven years now, ¿FHU¶VUHSUHVHQWDWLYHIRUWKHWK([-
BACN has been deployed support- SHGLWLRQDU\(OHFWURQLF&RPEDW6TXDG-
LQJZDU¿JKWHUFULWLFDOFRPPXQLFDWLRQ ron. “The missions range from support
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the Command, Control, Communica- against key targets. BACN is a key
tions, Intelligence and Networks pro- SDUWRIWKH&EDFNERQH´

JUDPH[HFXWLYHRI¿FHU³7KLVFDSDELOL- 7KH\DOVRUHDOL]HWKHVLJQL¿FDQFHRI Air Force photograph by TSgt. Christopher Boitz

ty has revolutionized the way we think the milestone. An airman pulls a set of chalks while escorting a RQ-4 Global Hawk back to a hangar during ground operations at an

about communications, providing “The entire team in country is proud XQGLVFORVHGORFDWLRQLQ6RXWKZHVW$VLD6HSW7KH*OREDO+DZNEORFNDLUFUDIWFDUU\WKH%DWWOH¿HOG$LUERUQH
strategic agility to DOD and coalition to have contributed to passing the &RPPXQLFDWLRQ1RGHSD\ORDGZKLFKHQVXUHVFRQQHFWLYLW\IRUZDU¿JKWHUV7KH%$&1V\VWHPPDQDJHGRXWRI+DQVFRP
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DELOLW\DQGUDQJHH[WHQVLRQIRUJURXQG SURJUDP´VDLGWKHWK((&6FRP- December, they released a notice of include continued payload operations laying the foundation for the future of
DLUDQGVSDFHIRUFHV´ PDQGHU³+DYLQJWKH($VRYHUKHDG contract action. They intend to award and maintenance, periodic software aerial layer networking. The BACN
on a 24/7 basis has provided important a sole source follow-on contract for upgrades and providing spares and WHDPDQG,DUHH[FLWHGDERXWWKHIX-
BACN began as an Advanced Con- UDGLREULGJHVDQGGDWDOLQNH[WHQVLRQV operations and support to Northrop repair parts. ture of the program and we are ready
cept Technology Demonstration in WRWKHZDU¿JKWHUVRQWKHJURXQGDQG Grumman for operating and maintain- WRVXSSRUWWKLVZDU¿JKWHUUHTXLUHPHQW
WRPHHWWKHFKDOOHQJHVDVVRFLDWHG in the air. We are happy that we can ing the BACN system payloads. The ³$FKLHYLQJFRPEDWÀLJKW IRUDVORQJDVLW¶VQHHGHG´
with operating in mountainous regions support the ongoing efforts of the en- ZRUNLVH[SHFWHGWREHJLQLQ-DQXDU\ hours for a program with JUON ori-
with limited line-of-sight, and in 2009 tire Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute DQGPD\FRQWLQXHWKURXJK-DQX- gins is an incredible milestone which Editor’s note: Names from expe-
became a Joint Urgent Operational 6XSSRUWPLVVLRQV´ highlights the importance of this ca-
Need program to support Operation
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ates on two airborne platforms: one to ensure this support can continue. In PRUHWKDQPRQWKVHDFK:RUNZLOO come a true force multiplier, and it is security reasons.

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Besides serving as a permanent tribute to the national monuments in Washington, Fountain be commemorated, he said, adding it would be
DOD News said. Those who served in The Great War, he an injustice to not have a national memorial in
service members, the memorial is meant to edu- added, withstood the inferno of artillery bar- Washington for them.
The United States World War One Centennial cate Americans and inspire them to learn more rages, and went down to the bottom of the sea
&RPPLVVLRQDQQRXQFHG-DQWKHZLQQLQJGH- about the largely overlooked war that has pro- in their ships. :RUOG:DU,EHJDQLQ-XO\ZLWKWKHDVVDV-
sign concept for a national memorial for what IRXQGLQÀXHQFHWRWKLVGD\)RXQWDLQVDLG sination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It
ZDVNQRZQDWWKHWLPHDV³7KH*UHDW:DU´ “They fell from the skies in burning wreckage HQGHGZLWKWKHDUPLVWLFHRQ1RY
Honoring those who served in overlooked of airplanes, and they charged out of trenches
7KHLQFUHGLEOHVHUYLFHDQGVDFUL¿FHRIWKRVH war DFURVVRSHQ¿HOGVDQGLQWRZRRGVDQGXSKLOOV Memorial to ‘restore the honor’
ZKRVHUYHGLQ:RUOG:DU,DFHQWXU\DJR¿QDOO\ that the enemy had spent years fortifying to de- There are no living World War I veterans,
will be honored in a memorial in the nation’s Those who fought and died in World War IHQG´KHVDLG
FDSLWDOVDLG(GZLQ)RXQWDLQWKHFRPPLVVLRQ¶V I did so with the “same courage and tenacity Fountain noted, but descendants of those who
vice chairman. served in the war have supported the efforts for
Aerotech News and Review the memorial.
Fountain, the grandson of two World War I vet-
erans, announced the winning design concept at www.aerotechnews.com ........ facebook.com/aerotechnewsandreview Sandra Pershing’s late husband, Jack Persh-
an event at the National Press Club here. ing, was the grandson of World War I Army Gen.
John J. Pershing. The memorial is of tremendous
The winning concept is “The Weight of Sac- VLJQL¿FDQFHWRKHUIDPLO\DQGWKHQDWLRQVKHWROG
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licensed architect, and veteran sculptor Sabin
Howard. While noting there is a statue for Pershing in
Washington, she said her husband felt strongly
The design concept met the challenges of cre- there should be a memorial to honor the millions
ating a concept for such an important memorial, of others who served.
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included finding an appropriate way to honor “Today we’re going to start to restore the honor
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nearly 5 million people who served and the more
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Located near White House
In addition, Fountain said, the design concept tensive design review from a number of agen-
cies, including the Commission of Fine Arts, the
had to work into the surrounding landscape, National Capital Planning Commission, and the
complement the iconic architecture and design National Park Service, Fountain said.
of historic Washington, and serve as a city park.
The commission hopes to begin construction
The memorial will be located in Pershing Park, RQ9HWHUDQV'D\ZLWKDSRVVLEOHGHGLFD-
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where other war memorials are located, would be looking to raise $30 million to $40 million for
the preferred location, a law prohibits new con- the memorial, Fountain said.

6 February 5, 2016