Rapid Dragon demonstrates BLOS command and control of Palletized Weapon System

摘要

The US Air Force (USAF) Rapid Dragon Experimentation Program, in association with Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Det 1, has demonstrated beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) command and control (C2) of an AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER)-equipped Palletized Weapon System from an AFSOC MC-130J Commando Ⅱ multimission combat transport aircraft.The demonstration was conducted during US Indo-Pacific Command's exercise Northern Edge 21 (NE21), at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the Gulf of Alaska in May.The Rapid Dragon Program, previously designated the Palletized Munitions Program, is an accelerated research campaign led by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation Office (SDPE), part of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), to assess the operational utility of delivering large volumes of palletised long-range strike weapons from military cargo aircraft. The SDPE Office supports air force development planning efforts by examining the operational utility of emerging technologies and potential operational concepts through experimentation and demonstration efforts.