Florida National Guard Advances Command-and-Control Capabilities During Drone Crucible 26.3

STARKE, FL - The future of military operations is increasingly defined by the ability to see, understand and act faster with greater precision. During Drone Crucible 26.3 at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Florida, Sept. 26 - Oct. 2, the Florida National Guard (FLNG) put that principle into practice by integrating unmanned aircraft systems, communications technology and situational awareness integration capabilities to give commanders a more complete picture of the battlefield.

The U.S. National Drone Association hosted Drone Crucible 26.3 alongside the FLNG and in concert with the Department of War, with assistance from Booz Allen Hamilton. Participants included personnel from the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group; 125th Fighter Wing Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight; Navy SEAL Teams 10 and 7; the 2nd Marine Division; and U.S. Marine Forces Special Operations Command, as well as individuals from various other FLNG units. The exercise tested unmanned systems and operational information sharing among military units and mission partners. Booz Allen Hamilton’s Sit(x) provided a secure platform that connected tactical users and enabled data sharing, supporting the Florida National Guard’s integration with the National Guard Bureau and U.S. Northern Command’s (NORTHCOM) Homeland Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) architecture.

The FLNG’s G6 Situational Awareness Integration Team (SAIT) supported the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, during the exercise by integrating the TAK, Maven Smart System (MSS) and available video feeds into a common operating picture (COP) for the joint operations center (JOC).

The U.S. Government's MSS uses super intelligence to integrate sensor feeds and operational data to support military planning and decision-making. The TAK complements MSS by allowing personnel in the field to share locations, threats and mission information, also contributing to a more comprehensive COP.

Amid Crucible 26.3, the Florida National Guard integrated TAK data, unmanned aircraft telemetry and full-motion video into MSS with support from NORTHCOM and Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR). The effort connected field activity with higher-level commands and demonstrated the potential to improve shared situational awareness.

The effort was designed to reduce the time between detection and decision-making during tactical lanes, allowing information from multiple systems and sources to be brought together in a way that supported commanders and operational teams.

“This exercise is giving us an opportunity to demonstrate how technology, innovation and strong partnerships can enhance the way we operate,” said Maj. Gen. Robert Carruthers, Assistant Adjutant General-Army, and Commander, Florida Army National Guard. “By integrating unmanned systems and our latest situational awareness and mission command software together, we are eliminating stovepipe systems, reducing multiple devices and air-gapping of information while providing commanders with a clearer, fused operational picture that enables faster, better-informed decisions.”

“What we are building here has great value well beyond this exercise. Our goal is to develop a scalable capability that strengthens interoperability, speeds our kill chain, increases our situational awareness, and improves our ability to fight and win on a rapidly evolving battlefield,” said Carruthers.

The FLNG G6 SAIT provisioned about 82 TAKs and personal devices to the FLNG server, while the JOC used eight video feeds to maintain situational awareness across the exercise.

During that time, the FLNG successfully integrated TAK position location information, operational overlays and full-motion video from unmanned systems into the NORTHCOM MSS environment. The feeds included data from both unmanned surface vessels and unmanned aircraft systems.

The integration allowed NORTHCOM in Colorado Springs and JTF-NCR in the Washington area to remotely view information generated during the FLNG exercise. The capability was ultimately demonstrated at the NORTHCOM command level, marking the first time these exercise feeds had been consumed within its Maven environment. The FLNG G6 SAIT also supported the integration of multiple other teams through a modernization cell, while subject-matter experts specializing in MSS, unmanned systems and TAK provided technical expertise and rapid user support.

That structure brought together personnel from the FLNG and the Booz Allen Hamilton Sit(x) and unmanned systems team, creating an environment where Soldiers could rapidly collaborate, troubleshoot and refine the technology while conducting the exercise.

“We’re taking emerging technologies and putting them to the test — validating the technology while also refining our standard operating procedures,” said a special operator with 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group. “It’s about bringing the networks, hardware and software together, making sure those systems can communicate and determining how they support both our domestic and federal missions. It also gives us an opportunity to connect and operate with other states, units and government agencies.”

For the FLNG, the significance of Drone Crucible 26.3 extends farther than the technology being tested. “Beyond this exercise, the Florida National Guard team sees an opportunity to integrate this capability more broadly with conventional forces and partner agencies,” said 1st Lt. Lisa Casares, situational awareness integrator, G6, Florida National Guard.

“Having dedicated subject-matter experts for each system has been critical to maintaining the common operating picture and resolving issues quickly,” she said. “Continued support from these experts will help the Florida National Guard sustain this capability and build a situational awareness framework that can scale beyond a single exercise.” As unmanned systems and other emerging technologies continue to shape military operations, the ability to integrate information rapidly and provide commanders with a common operating picture is becoming increasingly important to how forces train, coordinate and respond.

“This exercise demonstrated how integrated unmanned systems strengthen Soldiers on the battlefield,” said Col. Todd Hopkins, Commander, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center. “They do not replace Soldiers—they extend their reach, awareness, protection, and precision to help them move, fight, and win.”

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