The Army’s radio frequency pilot, which officially began in July, is progressing well, and the service is looking to engage the industry more in the coming weeks, according to Steven Rehn, chief technology officer of Army Cyber Command and director of the program.
Previously referred to as the electronic warfare data pilot, the initiative is currently in its initial testing phase, known as Phase 1. “So far so good,” Rehn told Breaking Defense after a speech at the TechNet conference in Augusta.
The pilot aims to enable the Army to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) with the “agility to maneuver and deliver effects at operational pace,” as outlined in a handout from the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association.
The service announced the pilot in May, prompted by lessons learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has transformed the landscape of electronic warfare. Rehn noted several factors contributing to this shift, including rapid technological advancements, an increase in threat actors with lower barriers to entry, and enhanced visibility within the EMS.
“That ability to be seen in the EMS is lethal. Lethal from the standpoint of, if I can see it, I can kill it,” Rehn remarked. He also discussed whether current capabilities allow a unit to comprehend its EMS posture over time, enabling trend analysis.
Rehn emphasized the necessity of rapid maneuverability within the EMS, particularly regarding the ability to alter a soldier’s signature, an area in which he called for industry assistance.
“As I’m moving out on a movement to contact, if I were to take a snapshot, do I look the same every time? Is it a signature issue? Are there signatures that, if someone were simply monitoring the EMS spectrum, they would recognize as corresponding to specific events?” Rehn inquired.
He added, “How do we change? How do we inform the commanders to understand that? This understanding will help them develop better procedures for survivability.”
Rehn indicated that the pilot will transition to Phase 2 by September or October, at which point he will seek collaboration with industry partners to develop technologies to support the pilot. In the current Phase 1, the service is focused on gathering data to ascertain requirements for quickly reprogramming systems on the battlefield.
“That’s the ask for the vendors: as we move forward, around the September-October timeframe, we will reach out through our research lab — the Army Cyber Technology and Innovation Center — and say, ‘Hey, these are the challenges. What should we be considering that we haven’t thought about?’” Rehn explained.
He elaborated on how industry partners can contribute to the pilot by adopting a Modular Mission Payload (MMP) concept, identifying challenges related to MMP concepts and supporting architecture, recognizing areas requiring standardization, and developing a radio frequency development ecosystem.
“If we set the right standards and data and understand the necessary associations, we can achieve substantial progress by engaging with industry partners,” Rehn concluded. “So for those in the industry, I would argue that we need your help.”
