The Air Force’s Distributed Mission Operations Network has grown to 25 nodes, recently reaching Spangdahlem AB, Germany and Kadena AB, Japan, and will expand to Misawa AB, Japan, by year’s end. So states Telecommunications firm Global Crossing and Northrop Grumman. The companies began running the fiber optic backbone and broadband connections at USAF facilities in 2001. DMON is the system that, for instance, lets F-15 fighter pilots and E-3 AWACS crews at different locations train as if they were flying together. See our story on this here.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.