New system to finish test with Red Flag Published June 6, 2006 By Perry Koger JDICE JT&E NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The rumble of jet exhaust and the hustle of Airmen performing their wartime duties is the hallmark of Red Flag exercises, but this Red Flag is different. The same dedicated Airmen are present, but so are Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Special Operations Forces. Their presence provides even more the operational realism and is the result of the Joint Datalink Information Combat Execution Joint Test and Evaluation team joining Nellis and the USAF Warfare Center to demonstrate the value of the information it can provide to the warfighter. The JDICE JT&E team is an Office of the Secretary of Defense-chartered and USAF Warfare Center-hosted joint program. The JDICE team develops and tests tactics, techniques, and procedures and associated Link16 modifications that increase awareness at the tactical level, supporting the area of responsibility of a joint force commander. Link 16 is a secure datalink that utilizes radio signals to transmit information for viewing via cockpit or ground command and control display terminals. National assets, Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Forces TTPs have each been evaluated and tested by the JDICE team and are now being evaluated simultaneously during Red Flag before being implemented in the field. Each TTP focuses on deconfliction and targeting processes that filter data, and allow operators to transmit actionable data via Link 16 for faster execution at the tactical level. During Red Flag, the JDICE team evaluates the interaction of multiple units performing joint TTPs. These TTPs enable each service to transmit tactical information on their specific operations as part of the exercise scenario. The TTP execution personnel and equipment used to provide this information are operationally representative of real-world command and control center, and provide operational realism. Throughout the exercise, JDICE is demonstrating how its joint TTP provides timely, accurate, complete, and tactically significant information to Link 16-equipped platforms to provide increased situational awareness of the ground battle and prevent fratricide. JDICE Test Director Colonel Billy Gilstrap stated, “Warfighters can use this information to save lives through deconfliction of friendly forces, threat avoidance, improved targeting, and weapons delivery. Friendly forces are provided a visual representation that sorts out the good guys from the bad guys and filters out the less tactically significant information the warfighter does not need.” JDICE has worked closely with Red Flag planning personnel to enhance the operational training value of the exercise by introducing a wide variety of joint operators, warfighters, and ground war scenarios such as Patriot batteries, command and control personnel, special operations, and scripted ground troops. This is the first time that an integrated ground and air war battle has been used in this exercise. Colonel Gilstrap commented, “JDICE and the Warfare Center are redefining the way we train for war.” JDICE TTPs enhance warfighters’ capabilities by making existing systems more effective and interoperable and providing a common operating picture of the battle. JDICE’s efforts continue to pay numerous dividends to the warfighter and clearly demonstrate the office of Secretary of Defense, JT&E motto of “doing better with what we have.”
