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Tackling one of the most critical and challenging questions on the battlefieldBQ+ tests coalition combat identification and air-to-ground targeting technologyBy Sharon AndersonEglin Air Force Base in Florida hosted an advanced concepttechnology demonstration (ACTD) that tested and refined tactics,techniques and procedures using a variety of air-to-groundcombat identification technologies designed to improve U.S.and coalition combat effectiveness and reduce the potential forbattlefield fratricide.More than 600 participants came together in the event, calledBold Quest Plus, which included units from the Air Force, Navyand Marine Corps, and coalition partners from Canada and theUnited Kingdom.U.S. military units participating in this exercise included: theAir Force's 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air ForceBase, Nev.; 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron, Shaw AirForce Base in S.C.; 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field;16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field; Navy Strike FighterSquadron 14, Le Moore, Calif.; Marine Corps Air DevelopmentSquadron 31, China Lake, Calif.; and the Marine Corps SystemsCommand Target Location Designation Handoff Team, Quantico,Va.U.S. Joint Forces Command sponsored the two-week exercisein July with the help of its Joint Fires Integration and InteroperabilityTeam (JFIIT) and the 46th Test Wing.BQ+ builds upon work done during last September's BoldQuest, according to John Miller, who is USJFCOM's Bold QuestPlus operational manager.“We have had 10 nations over the last few years enter theACTD and actively participate with forces and technologies."Miller said the nations that have been active in the ACTD arealready developing concepts. The continued interest and participationof these nations are good indications of the value ofpast interoperability work in these USJFCOM-sponsored events.“Quest” events began in 2001.Coalition ParticipationEssentially, U.S. and coalition nations are focused on combatidentification issues for ground target engagement by coalitionaircraft — especially those tools developed for aircrew andground controllers to enable them to coordinate attacks or dropbombs on targets more quickly and effectively than they cantoday.Coalition partners included the Canadian Director GeneralLand Equipment/Director Armoured Vehicle Program Management;the 425th Squadron, Quebec, Canada; and the British ForwardAir Control Team, United Kingdom.The coalition combat identification (CCID) technologies testedduring the ACTD included the Battlefield Target IdentificationDevice (BTID), CID server, Tactical Air Control Party Close Air SupportSystem, Target Location Designation Handoff System, AirSupport Operations Center Gateway, Battlefield Air OperationsKit and the BTID-equipped Forward Air Controller (BeFAC).“These systems and techniques enable aircrews and forwardair controllers on the ground to ensure that they have identifiedA Battlefield Airman Targeting Micro Air Vehicle is recovered July 25 after it successfullylands during exercise Bold Quest Plus at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. U.S.Air Force photo by Casey Bain.the same target, and they are attacking the right target,” Millersaid.This is no small feat when you consider the complex nature ofcombat, said Canadian Forces Lt. Cmdr. Randy Mifflin, who representedthe Chief of Force Development, the sponsor for theCanadian Forces participating in BQ+.“This is especially true in the context of ongoing joint andcombined 'ops' in places such as Afghanistan, where coalitionforces of differing capabilities and methods of operation arecoming face-to-face with high-speed, high-tech warfare in acontinuously changing and uncertain environment,” Mifflin said.“Such an environment demands fast and accurate means todiscriminate between enemies, friends and neutrals to enabletimely, effective and safe deployment of our weapons systems.”Under the leadership of the Chief of Force Development, CanadianForces is working to enhance its capabilities with bettertraining, better doctrine and improvements to the technologyassisting in combat identification, according to Mifflin.“Canada understands that it cannot achieve this goal in isolation.Coordination and interoperability with our allies and coalitionpartners is essential for feasible solutions. Canadian Forceshas been participating in the Quest series of demonstrationsinvestigating combat identification technology led by U.S. JointForces Command through the Coalition Combat IdentificationACTD since 2005 to gain information and experience and buildour knowledge base to reduce the risk associated with investmentdecisions,” he said.This year Canada’s focus is on investigating the cooperativeBattlefield Target Identification Device or BTID. The device usesmillimeter wave technology as defined by a NATO interoperabilitystandard to create secure ad hoc networks in near-real timewith positional location information.The ground CID picture for BQ+ was generated by BTID. BTID64 CHIPS www.chips.navy.mil Dedicated to Sharing Information - Technology - Experience