"We have examples in the counter-ISIS fight of combining lethal and non-lethal effects for a much larger holistic effect that I would say had a larger impact than anyone predicted prior to us truly synchronizing our efforts for having an effect on the adversary there," he said.
AFRL's experimental CubeSat, called Recurve, uses artificial intelligence/machine learning to autonomously decide how to route data through large constellations of interlinked satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Government can’t stop to update systems, so modernization has to happen without interruptions.
Under the agreement with ICEYE, the Army will look especially hard at the ability to significantly cut the time it takes to relay ISR data from a satellite to shooters on the ground.
"Air and missile defense, long-range precision fires, assured position navigation and timing — all of these rely on space-enabled capabilities and access to space," said Tom Webber, director of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command Technical Center.
"Penetrating and disintegrating A2/AD is the fundamental problem of all-domain operations. It's the hardest problem we've got," said Brig. Gen. John Rafferty.