During the exercise, the Virtualized Aegis Weapon System (VAWS) successfully assisted the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force in a naval special warfare mission targeting a land objective. VAWS demonstrated its adaptability and interoperability by digitally transmitting detailed fire control orders, integrating with existing military databases such as the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System, thereby eliminating the need for manual operations.
The exercise showcased the capability to perform enhanced command and control integration across combined services, operational levels, and multiple domains. US and Japanese naval and ground forces coordinated command and control data from various sources to simulate a long-range strike from a ground-based battery system.
Erika Marshall, Vice President of C4ISR at Lockheed Martin, highlighted the significance of the Keen Sword Technology Observer Demonstration Program. She noted that it allowed the company to demonstrate to senior military and civilian leaders from the US, Japan, and Australia how a common joint command and control architecture can achieve their vision for multilateral interoperability and cross-domain integration.
Chandra Marshall, Vice President and General Manager of Multi-Domain Combat Solutions at Lockheed Martin, emphasized the scalability of Aegis to support both land and sea-based operations. She pointed out that by transmitting fire control orders digitally and incorporating systems like the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System, the exercise further enables the CJADC2 vision, saving time in critical moments.
Keen Sword, a biennial bilateral field training exercise conducted since 1986, is designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and US forces. The deployment of Aegis capabilities in an expeditionary form factor during this exercise underscores its potential application beyond traditional maritime infrastructures.
Demonstrating Aegis’s capability to support CJADC2 is particularly relevant, as the US, Japan, South Korea, and Australia all employ Aegis as a core component of their defensive strategies.
