The Department of the Air Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management stood up an integrated program office to lead the Joint Fires Network.
The Joint Fires Network is a revolutionary warfighting network that enables the joint force to realize the advantages of speed and unity of command. By fusing high-quality targeting data with cutting-edge command and control applications, JFN delivers data to warfighters when and where they need it. This network outperforms legacy networks by aligning fires tasks into an object-based common data layer, providing a common operating picture for the Joint Force.
"Our mission is to take the JFN prototype and wrap a layer around it that allows us to manage and scale it as a robust capability that will have all the appropriate supportability aspects that a program of record should have," said Col. Alex Constantine, Joint Fires Network senior materiel leader.
The newly created IPO is meant to provide the infrastructure and oversight to transform the JFN from a successful prototype into a long-term, reliable, and strategically important asset for the Joint Force, according to Constantine.
"The establishment of the IPO allows us to create structured interfaces and venues with the services and Joint Force that ensure integration of fires at the combatant command-level and below," Constantine said. "We will be able to look at economies of scale, supportability, and warfighting efficiency as we continue to increase the footprint and capabilities of JFN."
The future architecture of JFN will focus on how it delivers decision advantage to the Joint Force as well as how it feeds into the DAF Battle Network, by working collaboratively across the Department of War.
"The actual system itself touches multiple parts of planning, fires control, and execution," Constantine said. "So, it will touch various aspects of the DAF Battle Network, but it's really a tier 1 combatant command-oriented system that the planners and below at the lower echelons will use to collaboratively plan and execute fires."
Constantine said developing JFN in a joint environment contributes to its overall success as service members from each branch bring unique perspectives and expertise.
"We have a Navy deputy and teammates from across the services who bring technical interchanges together to ensure that we're touching Army, Naval and Department of the Air Force equities holistically, as well as those of the relevant combat support agencies, to truly deploy a better system," he said.
JFN's development will utilize the DOW's Software Acquisition Pathway 5,000.87 so servicemembers can develop and deliver the capability quickly.
"To ensure JFN remains adaptable and responsive to evolving threats, the program office is leveraging software acquisition pathway, an approach designed to streamline the capability delivery process," he said. "Our approach balances agility with acquisition rigor to continue our rapid fielding efforts while we address supportability in manner tailored to the system's needs as we move forward."
The DAF Battle Network is the integrated system-of-systems connecting sensor, effector, and logistics systems enabling better situational awareness, faster operational decisions, and decisive direction to the force. It integrates roughly 50 programs of record across the department, ensuring resilient decision advantage needed by the Air Force, Space Force, joint and coalition forces to win against the pacing challenge.
