Marine Gen. James Mattis, US Central Command boss, asked Senate defense overseers Tuesday for their support in enabling the “effective integration and extension” of warfighting networks between the United States and its coalition partners. Such connectivity “from maritime environments to the aerial layer and over rugged mountainous terrain” is essential to CENTCOM’s success, he wrote in prepared remarks to the Senate Armed Service Committee. Mattis said networks currently are “divided” among various services, agencies, and combatant commands, “resulting in degraded and delayed actions that have allowed our adversaries to exploit this fundamental cyber shortfall for too long.” However, one “bright network spot” is the Afghan Mission Network because it allows US and coalition forces and civilians to remain connected and synchronized on the battlefield and linked to supporting assets throughout the world, he noted.
U.S. Air Forces Central has awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract worth up to $270 million to a California-based company to provide an ultra-long range, solar-powered drone capable of 75 hours of flight.