Air Ops Cmd & Control (C2) Sys

Abstract

Composite Tracking Network (CTN) - The Composite Tracking Network (CTN) is a Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Force Design (FD) program which distributes composite tracking data to Command and Control (C2) and weapon systems participating in the US Navy's Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) network, which is a sensor network with integrated fire control capability that improves battle force air and missile defense capabilities by combining data from multiple battle force air search sensors on CEC-equipped units into a single, real-time, composite track picture. CTN greatly enhances fleet air defense working in concert with CEC by significantly contributing to real-time situational awareness. The program received ACAT III designation in Nov 2001 and is an instantiation of the USN CEC Program. The program is USMC led with US Navy and US Army cooperation. The 12 April 1995 Mission Need Statement (MNS) No. AAS 48 for the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) established the Marine Corps' need to upgrade its existing air defense architecture with capabilities to support improved situational awareness (SA) and advanced engagement concepts. The Composite Tracking Network (CTN) program was initiated to address this capability gap. The CTN system (AN/MSQ-143A(V)1) is an integration effort consisting of an AN/USG-4B (the USMC CEC CTN platform) and other US Marine-unique components. The CTN system interfaces with the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) and the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) to provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and Joint Task Force Commanders a real-time, line of sight, high data-rate sensor and engagement data distribution network that combines all distributed sensor data, including G/ATOR measurements, into a fire control quality track picture which is the same for all CEC network nodes. CEC data combined with G/ATOR contributions, will effectively increase Situational Awareness by providing accurate, composite, and real-time surveillance tracks, reduce ground-to-air and air-to-air fratricide, enable air and surface Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA), and extend the air defensive capability of forces in the littorals. Through integration & fielding of CEC Increment II capabilities, CTN shall integrate new sensor types and track data sources into the network, such as surface search radars and passive detection sensors, as well as relevant data from other networks. CTN shall accommodate more CUs and provide a more complete, robust, and resilient situational awareness picture, composite identification, and Integrated Fire Control (IFC), with assured communications for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), surface warfare, and electronic mission warfare domains. Air Battle Management (ABM) - ABM is a Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Force Design (FD) program which contains the Theater Battle Management Core Systems-Marine Corps (TBMCS-MC). TBMCS-MC is the joint mandated air war planning tool for generation, dissemination, and execution of Air Tasking Orders (ATO) and Airspace Control Orders (ACO). TBMCS-MC is a core C2 system in the Marine aviation combat element for the tools required to conduct Situational Awareness and Assessment, Airspace De-confliction, Mission Planning/Execution/Re-planning, and Assault Support Processing. The Marine Corps derives, develops, and sustains the core TBMCS software suite in joint cooperation with the United States Air Force (USAF) and maintains its configuration of TBMCS-MC while continually improving its cybersecurity posture in accordance with relevant DoD and Marine Corps requirements and timelines. The Marine Corps maintains the responsibility to ensure the system meets Marine air C2 requirements and its operational relevant employment in a joint theater of operations while maintain interoperability with numerous Joint, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force command and control systems. Remote Video Viewing Terminal (RVVT) - Consists of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Video Down-Link (VDL) products such as the VideoScout Mobile Configuration 2 (VS-MC/2), VideoScout Mobile Configuration 3 (VS-MC/3), and Man Portable Video Down-Link (MPVDL) that allow for the viewing and exploitation of Full Motion Video (FMV) from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets. VDL systems are mission critical for coordination of direct and indirect fires and the prevention of fratricide. These systems provide the Fleet Marine Force with critical video and metadata from all USMC manned and unmanned aircraft to include, but not limited to Raven B, Puma, Micro-UAS, Shadow, Predator, Fire Scout, and Litening Pod on P-3, AV8-B, F/A-18, and F35. These products ensure critical data is displayed to Forward Air Controllers (FACs), Forward Observers (FOs), Fire Support Teams (FSTs), Firepower Control Teams (FCTs), Tactical Air Control Parties (TACPs) and Reconnaissance Teams.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 2273_0206313M_7_1319_PB_2025

Tags

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Cyber
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems
• Space
• Space - Space Objects